Mental health in times of COVID: Thoughts after the state of alarm

González-Rodríguez, Alexandre; Labad, Javier

doi:10.1016/j.medcle.2020.07.007

Cited by 21 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…In response to the rapid spread of the virus, governments around the world ordered their citizens to observe various degrees of physical distancing (i.e., keeping physical distance between an individual and people who do not live in the same household), from restrictions on international travel to mandatory stay-at-home orders (Giallonardo et al, 2020 ; González-Rodŕıguez and Labad, 2020 ; Moreland et al, 2020 ). Restrictions on socializing in person increased the prevalence of mental health conditions like anxiety and depression in global populations during the COVID-19 pandemic (Lytridis et al, 2020 ; Saladino et al, 2020 ; Sikali, 2020 ).…”

Section: Related Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

Socially facilitative robots for older adults to alleviate social isolation: A participatory design workshop approach in the US and Japan

et al. 2022

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Social technology can improve the quality of older adults' social lives and mitigate negative mental and physical health outcomes associated with loneliness, but it should be designed collaboratively with this population. In this paper, we used participatory design (PD) methods to investigate how robots might be used as social facilitators for middle-aged and older adults (age 50+) in both the US and Japan. We conducted PD workshops in the US and Japan because both countries are concerned about the social isolation of these older adults due to their rapidly aging populations. We developed a novel approach to participatory design of future technologies that spends 2/3 of the PD session asking participants about their own life experiences as a foundation. This grounds the conversation in reality, creates rapport among the participants, and engages them in creative critical thinking. Then, we build upon this foundation, pose an abstract topic, and ask participants to brainstorm on the topic based on their previous discussion. In both countries, participants were eager to actively discuss design ideas for socially facilitative robots and imagine how they might improve their social lives. US participants suggested design ideas for telepresence robots, social distancing robots, and social skills artificial intelligence programs, while Japanese participants suggested ideas for pet robots, robots for sharing experiences, and easy-to-operate instructor robots. Comparing these two countries, we found that US participants saw robots as tools to help facilitate their social connections, while Japanese participants envisioned robots to function as surrogate companions for their parents and distract them from loneliness when they were unavailable. With this paper, we contribute to the literature in two main ways, presenting: (1) A novel approach to participatory design of future technologies that grounds participants in their everyday experience, and (2) Results of the study indicating how middle-aged and older adults from the US and Japan wanted technologies to improve their social lives. Although we conducted the workshops during the COVID-19 pandemic, many findings generalized to other situations related to social isolation, such as older adults living alone.

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Section: Related Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

Socially facilitative robots for older adults to alleviate social isolation: A participatory design workshop approach in the US and Japan

et al. 2022

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“…According to data pending publication from the Ministry of Health 6 , the national increase in DHDs for psychotropic drugs in the community has been of 8.3% in the period 2019-2021, which could be attributed to the stressful situation of the pandemic and/or the impact of public health measures implemented to hold it: con nements, mask usage mandates, closure of schools and nonessential activities… All these interventions could have contributed to higher levels of suffering and, consequently, a higher prevalence of mental health disorders, which would have a direct impact on psychotropic drug consumption. This would be especially true for women and younger age groups, as some studies [15][16][17][18] have suggested, both nationally 10,11 and internationally. [12][13][14] The same report 6 remarks, DHDs in Asturias are somewhat higher than the ones reported in our study.…”

Section: Discusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychotropic Consumption Before and During Covid-19 in Asturias, Spain

García

Martínez²,

Bretón³

et al. 2022

Preprint

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BACKGROUND: Spain as multiple other countries, has been experiencing an increasing and sustained trend in the use of psychotropic medications since the mid 90s. Recent studies show public health measures implemented to control SARS-Cov2, such as mobility restrictions and the shutdown of nonessential activities increased mental suffering, even contributing to a higher number of anxiety, depression and insomnia disorders that could lead to an increase in the consumption of psychotropics. The aims were: 1) Evaluate the temporal trend in psychotropic consumption by therapeutic subgroup, sex, and age group 2) Estimate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic in the use of psychotropic drugs.METHODS: We conducted a retrospective observational study, retrieving all prescriptions of anxiolytics, hypnotics/sedatives, and antidepressants dispensed in pharmacies of Asturias (Northern Spain) for Primary Care patients for the period 2018-2021.We presented the data expressed in Daily Defined Doses (DDDs) for 1000 persons/day (DHD). To estimate changes in DHDs by year and age group we conducted 2 multiple linear regressions (one for males and one for females) for every therapeutic subgroup studied. Changes were considered statistically significant when the regression coefficient was p<0.05. We used the Software R 4.1.0.RESULTS:For the studied period, the highest DHDs are for antidepressants, although all of the subgroups experienced an increase in consumption rates.Women consumed more psychotropic drugs than men. In 2021, 372 out of every 1,000 women were taking daily 1 DDD of these drugs versus 184 out of every 1,000 men. Consumption rates for all psychotropic drugs progressively increases with age. Conversely, the biggest increases in consumption were among the youngest age groups (0-14 years, 43.2% increase and 15-29 years, 35.1% increase).The regression models suggest an upward trend in psychotropic consumption during all the period, especially remarkable from 2020, for both genders and all age groups. CONCLUSIONS:-The growing and sustained trend in consumption of psychotropic drugs for the recent years has increased since the start of the SARS-COV2 pandemic for both sexes, especially from 2020 onwards. This trend is consistent with the observed national one.-The increase observed on children and adolescents is a matter of concern.

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“…The COVID-19 pandemic brought some extenuating circumstances to the present study. COVID-19, formally known as SARS-Cov-2, began December 2019, in Wuhan, China and spread rapidly around the world ( González-Rodríguez and Labad, 2020 ). To reduce the spread of COVID-19 and reduce crowding at medical care facilities ( Luchetti et al, 2020 ), national and international institutions ordered social distancing (standing at least 6 feet apart) and required people to wear masks ( Giallonardo et al, 2020 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Together We can Figure It out: Groups Find Hospitality Robots Easier to Use and Interact With Them More than Individuals

et al. 2021

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As robots are becoming more prevalent and entering hospitality settings, understanding how different configurations of individuals and groups interact with them becomes increasingly important for catering to various people. This is especially important because group dynamics can affect people’s perceptions of situations and behavior in them. We present research examining how individuals and groups interact with and accept a humanoid robot greeter at a real-world café (Study 1) and in an online study (Study 2). In each study, we separately examine interactions of individuals, groups that participants formed after they arrived at the café (new-formed groups), and groups that participants arrived with at the café (pre-formed groups). Results support prior findings that groups are more likely to interact with a public robot than individuals (Study 1). We also report novel findings that new-formed groups interacted more with the robot than pre-formed groups (Study 1). We link this with groups perceiving the robot as more positive and easier to use (Study 2). Future research should examine perceptions of the robot immediately after interaction and in different hospitality contexts.

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Mental health in times of COVID: Thoughts after the state of alarm

Cited by 21 publications

References 20 publications

Socially facilitative robots for older adults to alleviate social isolation: A participatory design workshop approach in the US and Japan

Socially facilitative robots for older adults to alleviate social isolation: A participatory design workshop approach in the US and Japan

Psychotropic Consumption Before and During Covid-19 in Asturias, Spain

Together We can Figure It out: Groups Find Hospitality Robots Easier to Use and Interact With Them More than Individuals

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