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Social Anxiety and Psychophysical Health during COVID-19 Pandemic
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Social Anxiety and Psychophysical Health during COVID-19 Pandemic

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Behavioral and Mental Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2024 | Viewed by 10217

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Isabella Aquila

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Legal Medicine, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
Interests: poisoning; toxicity; forensic toxinology; human rights; forensic science; legal medicine; domestic violence
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Psychophysical balance is a fundamental issue in public health. In particular, mental health problems (anxiety, depression and related disorders) have increased in the COVID-19 era. The COVID-19 pandemic has also caused a condition of strong psychological stress, generating a common sense of uncertainty about the future in society. Since then, all of our lives have changed. In addition to the direct effects due to illness and economic problems, the pandemic inevitably caused social detachment, undermining the human need to socialize and favoring a strong individual dimension during quarantine. Numerous papers have reported many suicides that occurred during the lockdown period, evaluating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as a trigger for suicide, especially in vulnerable individuals with already present suicidal risk factors and negative outcomes of the health emergency on the state of public mental health. Many age groups are involved, and the clinical and diagnostic areas in which all this has a socio-psychological impact are diverse. Among young people, it is necessary to reflect on the difficulties in returning to socialization with peers and on the reconstruction of everyday life after a period of solitude. Therefore, in the post-COVID-19 era we also emphasize the frustration related to the perception of non-belonging to the group and to social standards, which is accentuated after a long period of isolation. There are also forensic profiles related to the psychological distress connected to this pandemic period. It is important to scientifically investigate all these aspects. In the post-COVID-19 era, the challenge for the coming months is the return to normality, intended not only as a definitive stop of the contagion but also as a new psychological and relational balance of the community. The topics of this Special Issue will concern: 

  • Social anxiety management
  • Analysis and diagnosis of social anxiety and psychophysical health
  • Treatment of anxiety
  • Management of suicide risk in pandemic era
  • Multidisciplinary assessment of social anxiety and psychophysical health
  • Psychological impact of COVID-19 on mental health
  • Forensic aspect of COVID-19 in mental disorder.

Regarding the prevention of suicide in the COVID-19 era, the specialized branches involved are forensic medicine and forensic pathology; pathological anatomy; pediatrics; general and specialist surgery; maxillofacial surgery; anesthesia and resuscitation; neurology; translational medicine; pulmonology; cardiology; infectious diseases; urology; physiatry; orthopedics; psychiatry; geriatrics; internal medicine; gynecology and obstetrics; gastroenterology and hepatology; nephrology; cardiac surgery; neurosurgery; toxicology; genetics; biology; psychology; clinical chemistry; computer engineering; sports medicine; rehabilitation medicine; neuroradiology; forensic entomology; forensic veterinary; forensic anthropology.

Dr. Isabella Aquila
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • social anxiety
  • psychophysical health
  • COVID-19
  • pandemic
  • social profile
  • social outcomes
  • mental health
  • diagnosis
  • autopsy
  • forensic pathology
  • psychophysical trauma
  • emergency
  • management of suicide
  • suicide
  • death
  • injury
  • radiological investigation
  • surgical intervention
  • sepsis
  • violent
  • abuse
  • psychological trauma
  • drugs
  • toxicology
  • treatment of mental disorders
  • treatment of anxiety
  • multidisciplinary profiles
  • pediatric psychological trauma
  • resuscitation
  • prevention
  • suicide risk

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Editorial

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2 pages, 244 KiB  
Editorial
The Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic on Public Mental Health: State of Art and Future Perspectives
by Matteo Antonio Sacco, Pietrantonio Ricci and Isabella Aquila
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(9), 5665; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20095665 - 27 Apr 2023
Viewed by 1029
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has radically changed our lives in every way [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Anxiety and Psychophysical Health during COVID-19 Pandemic)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

14 pages, 360 KiB  
Article
The Impact of COVID-19 Health and Safety Measures on the Self-Reported Exercise Behaviors and Mental Health of College Students
by Justin A. DeBlauw, Mary Stenson, Astrid Mel, Daniela German, Aaron Jaggernauth, Brian Lora, Noa Schabes, Raymani Walker, Farouq Yusuf and Stephen J. Ives
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(24), 7163; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20247163 - 11 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1404
Abstract
The public-health restrictions (e.g., remote learning, restricted access to facilities and dining halls) put in place by colleges to reduce the spread of COVID-19 resulted in forced isolation and modifications to health-related behaviors. The restrictions and uncertainty associated with COVID-19 may have exacerbated [...] Read more.
The public-health restrictions (e.g., remote learning, restricted access to facilities and dining halls) put in place by colleges to reduce the spread of COVID-19 resulted in forced isolation and modifications to health-related behaviors. The restrictions and uncertainty associated with COVID-19 may have exacerbated the challenges of meeting exercise recommendations and mental-health concerns. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of restrictions on students’ exercise habits and their levels of anxiety, stress, and depression. Five-hundred and forty students completed a 29-question survey on individual demographics, living arrangements, exercise, sleep, diet, and mental health. Significant changes in weekly days of exercise and intensity were reported. Increases in anxiety, stress, and depression were reported. The two most frequently reported changes in exercise behavior were an increase in minutes of aerobic training (5%) and a combination of reduced minutes of aerobic and resistance training (3.9%), which could be reflective of an individual’s ability and/or desire to maintain exercise behavior during the restrictions. Alternatively, for those students who reduced their exercise habits, aerobic training (11%) was the mode that suffered the most. Demographic factors such as ethnicity, regional residence, and gender were found to have significant effects on stress, anxiety, and depression. Amidst pandemics and future health emergencies, colleges should prioritize establishing opportunities for students to exercise, helping them meet physical activity recommendations and combat mental-health issues. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Anxiety and Psychophysical Health during COVID-19 Pandemic)
13 pages, 886 KiB  
Article
Hope Buffers the Effect of Fear of COVID-19 on Depression among College Students: Insomnia as a Mediator
by Yingying Yao, Min Lin, Jianchao Ni and Jing Ni
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(4), 3245; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20043245 - 13 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1486
Abstract
Background: In the period of the global pandemic, psychophysical problems induced by the fear of COVID-19 among college students deserve attention since the dormitory environment in college greatly increases the possibility of COVID-19 infection. Methods: A hypothesized mediated moderation model was to be [...] Read more.
Background: In the period of the global pandemic, psychophysical problems induced by the fear of COVID-19 among college students deserve attention since the dormitory environment in college greatly increases the possibility of COVID-19 infection. Methods: A hypothesized mediated moderation model was to be verified using a cross-sectional study among 2453 college students. Fear of COVID-19, insomnia, hope, and depression were assessed by using the relevant scales. Results: (1) The fear of COVID-19 was positively correlated to depression (β = 0.365, t = 5.553, 95% CI = [0.236, 0.494]); (2) hope moderated the influence of the fear of COVID-19 on depression (β = −0.093, t = −4.066, 95% CI = [−0.137, −0.048]), as well as on insomnia (β = −0.095, t = −4.841, 95% CI = [−0.133, −0.056]); and (3) the mediated moderation model with hope as the moderator and insomnia as the full mediating variable between fear of COVID-19 and depression was verified (β = −0.060, 95% CI = [−0.093, −0.028]). Conclusions: The findings suggest that hope is a vital mechanism to explain the relationship between the fear of COVID-19 and depression in early adulthood. In practical application, mental health practitioners should focus on boosting hope and alleviating insomnia when addressing COVID-19-related depression issues among college students. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Anxiety and Psychophysical Health during COVID-19 Pandemic)
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16 pages, 602 KiB  
Article
Association of Digital Health Literacy with Future Anxiety as Mediated by Information Satisfaction and Fear of COVID-19: A Pathway Analysis among Taiwanese Students
by Sheng-Chih Chen, Le Duc Huy, Cheng-Yu Lin, Chih-Feng Lai, Nhi Thi Hong Nguyen, Nhi Y. Hoang, Thao T. P. Nguyen, Loan T. Dang, Nguyen L. T. Truong, Tan N. Phan and Tuyen Van Duong
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(23), 15617; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192315617 - 24 Nov 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2518
Abstract
Digital Health Literacy (DHL) helps online users with navigating the infodemic and co-existing conspiracy beliefs to avoid mental distress and maintain well-being. We aimed to investigate the association between DHL and future anxiety (FA); and examine the potential mediation roles of information satisfaction [...] Read more.
Digital Health Literacy (DHL) helps online users with navigating the infodemic and co-existing conspiracy beliefs to avoid mental distress and maintain well-being. We aimed to investigate the association between DHL and future anxiety (FA); and examine the potential mediation roles of information satisfaction and fear of COVID-19 (F-CoV). A web-based cross-sectional survey was carried out among 1631 Taiwanese university students aged 18 years and above from June 2021 to March 2022. Data collected were socio-demographic characteristics (sex, age, social status, university location), information satisfaction, F-CoV, DHL and FA (using Future Dark scale). The linear regression model was used to explore factors associated with FA. The pathway analysis was further used to evaluate the direct and indirect relationship between DHL and FA. A higher score of DHL (B = −0.21; 95% CI, −0.37, −0.06; p = 0.006), and information satisfaction (B = −0.16; 95% CI, −0.24, −0.08; p < 0.001) were associated with a lower FA score, whereas a higher F-CoV score was associated with a higher FA score (B = 0.43; 95% CI, 0.36, 0.50; p < 0.001). DHL showed the direct impact (B = −0.1; 95% CI, −0.17, −0.04; p = 0.002) and indirect impact on FA as mediated by information satisfaction (B = −0.04; 95% CI, −0.06, −0.01; p = 0.002) and F-CoV (B = −0.06, 95% CI, −0.08, −0.04; p < 0.001). Strategic approaches to promote DHL, information satisfaction, lower F-CoV are suggested to reduce FA among students. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Anxiety and Psychophysical Health during COVID-19 Pandemic)
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14 pages, 1190 KiB  
Article
Physical Activity Levels and Psychological Well-Being during COVID-19 Lockdown among University Students and Employees
by Adrián De la Rosa, Armando Monterrosa Quintero, María Alejandra Camacho-Villa, Coralie Arc-Chagnaud, André Gustavo Pereira de Andrade, Sergio Reyes-Correa, Ronald Quintero-Bernal and Juan Pedro Fuentes-García
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(18), 11234; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191811234 - 07 Sep 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2794
Abstract
During the lockdown for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), entire populations were instructed to live in home confinement. We investigated the effects of the COVID-19 lockdown on the physical activity (PA) and mental health of students and employees in a Colombian University. A [...] Read more.
During the lockdown for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), entire populations were instructed to live in home confinement. We investigated the effects of the COVID-19 lockdown on the physical activity (PA) and mental health of students and employees in a Colombian University. A cross-sectional study was conducted through an online survey during the first isolation. A total of 431 respondents (192 males) aged 18–60 years old (28.1 ± 11.1 years) participated. The international Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and the short version of the Psychological General Well-Being Index (PGWBI-S) were used. The lockdown had a negative effect on PA levels, with students exhibiting the greatest decrease (~34%; p ˂ 0.001) compared to employees (~24%; p ˂ 0.01). The analysis showed a greater change in PA behavior before and during the lockdown in highly active student participants (5750 vs. 5141 MET min/week; p < 0.05). Additionally, the psychological assessment revealed a lower score in students compared to employees in the male (70.1 vs. 82.6) and female groups (60.2 vs. 79.6). Moreover, the results revealed an influence of sex, with only the female students exhibiting a state of distress. Self-reported PA and psychological well-being were compromised during the COVID-19 lockdown in the academic community, with students and females being more affected. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Anxiety and Psychophysical Health during COVID-19 Pandemic)
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