Salud Mental

Background. The chronic aspect that begins to characterize long COVID appeals to the need for interventions proposed by institutions such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to manage the disease, emphasizing behavioral change and self-care. Objective. To perform a narrative review of the psychological literature that offers intervention strategies in alignment with the recommendations of the long COVID management guidelines proposed by WHO and NICE. Method. MEDLINE, EBSCO, Google Scholar, SciELO, PsycINFO, PubMed, Cochrane, and CONRICYT databases were consulted, using Boolean operators and keywords for an exhaustive search. Results. The contributions of the studies were categorized into five intervention strategies based on WHO and NICE recommendation guidelines: Psychoeducation, Self-care, Support networks, Relaxation, and Goal setting. These are given a brief introduction and their relevance to the management of long COVID symptomatology is described. Discussion and conclusion. The persistent condition of COVID-19 symptoms makes it necessary to recognize that lifestyle changes must be made, primarily focused on health care and prevention of worsening disease sequelae. These lifestyle changes can be achieved through behavior modification, focusing on protective factors such as education, self-care, support networks, relaxation techniques and, setting appropriate goals.

Introduction. During COVID-19, health workers faced increased stress accentuated by gender roles, such as motherhood. Objective. This study analyzed the characteristics of a group of physicians-mothers, its impact on mental health, and their experiences during this pandemic. Method. Mixed methods study using an online survey to investigate sociodemographic, family, emotional, and professional aspects, in addition to the personal experience of 537 doctors-mothers during the first stage of COVID-19. Results. Due to the pandemic, most of the participants changed their daily activities. The hours dedicated to professional work (HM = 5.08, p  <  .0001), childcare (HM = 3.74, p  <  .0001), and food planning and preparation (HM = -6.96, p  <  .0001) were increased, while the hours dedicated to physical exercise (MH = 8.67, p  <  .0001) and personal care (MH = 9.54, p  <  .0001) decreased. It has been pointed out that this pandemic has generated a lack of well-defined spaces, resulting in multitasking. Fear and guilt were two common words in the speeches of the participants. Fear of getting sick and dying, or fear of infecting their families. Guilt at feeling that they did not play a good role either as doctors or as mothers. Most common psychological symptoms were insomnia, sadness or discouragement, and constant worry or tension. Discussion and conclusion. The pandemic evidenced and exacerbated both the disparities faced by these female doctors in the medical field, as well as the inequity in housework and home-care. The loss of boundaries between the public and the private showed the mothers-doctor struggling to reconcile their personal and professional life with substantial repercussions for their mental health.

Introduction. There are few reports on mental health among the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) population in the context of COVID-19, especially in South America. Objective. To describe the prevalence of symptoms associated with mental health disorders, as well as to analyze the risk of their occurrence, in different groups of the Chilean LGBT population in the context of COVID-19. Method. A total of 1,181 LGBT people, ranged from 18 to 64 years participated in an online survey, using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-DASS-21. The central tendency measures were analyzed, then cut-off points were used to establish prevalence according to sex and sexual orientation. Finally, the probability of symptoms was analyzed using odds ratio. Results. Lower levels of mental health were identified among the bisexual and other sexual orientations (pansexual, demisexual, asexual, etc.) population as compared with gays and lesbians, finding a greater presence of depressive symptoms (p = .000), anxious (p = .000) and related to stress (pDiscussion and conclusion. Even though the pandemic affected the entire population, results give evidence of disparities among the various LGBT communities, showing the need to focus on preventive interventions and the implications of increased risk in bisexual population, particularly women, who are affected by various cross discriminations.

Introduction. After several months of COVID-19 lockdown, addressing the implications related to the emotional distress and well-being of the population during confinement has become increasingly evident. Objective. To explore, through a lexicometric and content-based approach, the responses related to discomfort and emotional well-being during the first confinement due to the COVID-19 lockdown. Method. Subjects included 2,555 adults in Mexico, mainly women (78.3%), with an average age of 46. Data were drawn from an online survey published on social networks from June 3 to July 5, 2020. The open answers of the subjects about discomfort and emotional well-being during lockdown, together with suggestions to improve the handling of the pandemic, were analyzed using word frequency analysis (clouds) and thematic content analysis. Result. Findings highlighted the implications of lockdown, including loss of social interaction, teleworking and overexposure to the news, associated with discomfort. In turn, activities related to self-care, doing household repairs, and sharing activities with the family were linked to well-being. Discussion and conclusion. Findings show that time was a key factor to transition from well-being to boredom, where space and material resources played a preponderant role during confinement.

Introduction. The COVID-19 lockdown has posed new challenges for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), including service suspension and reductions in support. Objective. To explore the perspectives of caregivers on the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on people with ASD in Mexico. Method. 126 caregivers from Mexico completed a survey on the impact of lockdown on people with ASD. Results. Suspension of at least one service was reported for 38.9% of subjects, with no significant association being found between symptom worsening and service administration modality. Discussion and conclusion. Service suspension for people with ASD in Mexico has been a side effect of the pandemic, negatively impacting their behavior. Results indicate that certain services could be remotely maintained and provided to individuals with ASD in underserved areas.