This article uses mental health trends during the COVID-19 pandemic to question how we can leverage current technologies such as telehealth to provide better mental health care. Based on this compilation of literature, an increase in suicide rates, suicidal ideation, and mental health disorders is possible as a result of the impact of COVID-19. By increasing the use of telehealth and investigating best practices for its use, the outcome is 3-fold. We can provide preventative measures after the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, more effective care to patients during future pandemics and global crises, and reduce mental health care disparities by reaching rural Americans.

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Introduction: The public health workforce plays an essential role in the response to disasters and emergencies. Little is known about the prevalence of anxiety and depression among the public health emergency preparedness workforce responding to COVID-19 or the potential for social support to protect public health workers from adverse outcomes.Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among a sample of the public health workforce participating in the response to COVID-19. Prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using Poisson regression with robust standard errors.Results: Overall, 39.6 percent (140 of 345) of respondents reported anxiety and 29.4 percent (104 of 345) reported depression. The prevalence of anxiety and depression was higher among those who worked more hours (PR = 1.5; 95% CI: 1.2, 2.0) and days (PR = 1.3; 95% CI: 0.9, 1.8) per week. Anxiety was 40 percent more prevalent (PR = 1.4; 95% CI: 0.8, 2.4) among those with between 1 and 4 years of work experience, while depression was 60 percent more prevalent (PR = 1.6; 95% CI: 0.8, 3.1) among those with 5 to 9 years of experience. Compared to those with a bachelor’s degree, those with a master’s degree reported 30 percent more anxiety (PR = 1.3; 95% CI: 0.9, 1.9). Having at least three sources of social support related to comfort and caring reduced the prevalence of depression among those working the most hours per week (PR = 1.5; 1.1, 2.3 compared to PR = 2.0; 95% CI: 0.9, 4.5). Economic and practical support was more consistently protective, with a reduced prevalence of anxiety and depression among those working the most hours per week, days per week, and those with more education when at least three sources of support were reported.Discussion: Anxiety and depression symptoms and diagnoses have been associated with burnout and suicide among frontline disaster responders. The public health workforce on the frontlines of the COVID-19 emergency response has high rates of depression and anxiety, which must be addressed through robust individual- and organizational-level supports.

Purpose To understand what factors are associated with adolescents’ perceived healthfulness of sports drinks (SD) and of energy drinks (ED), with a focus on health risk, athletics, and media-related variables. Design Cross-sectional survey Setting Online Subjects U.S. adolescents ages 14-18 years (n = 501) recruited from a combination of non-probability and probability-based panels. Measures Outcome variables were perceived healthfulness of SDs and of EDs. Independent variables included adolescents’ health background (oral health, diabetes risk, self-reported weight); behaviors (SD and ED consumption, athletic identity, sports participation, physical activity), and media items (media literacy, exposure to advertisements on TV, YouTube, social media). Results Regression results indicated that adolescents’ increased perception that SDs are healthy was significantly associated (P<.05 level) with casual sports participation (b=.56, se=.27), athletic identification (b=.28, se= .11), exposure to SD advertisements on social media (b=.55, s =.25), and higher consumption (b=.28, se= .13). For adolescents’ perceptions of EDs, significantly related correlates included athletic identification (b=.26, se=10), having an increased risk of diabetes (b= −.79, s =.26), poorer oral health (b=.33, se=.16), and consumption (b=.76, s =.16); increased media literacy was associated with more accurate perceptions (b=−.35, se=.14). Conclusions Adolescents’ hold different perceptions about the healthfulness of sports and energy drink, and their beliefs about each drink are related to different types of factors that may have implications for public health interventions. Cross-sectional survey design and adolescent self-reports are limitations.