mental health

This article in May 2023 issue of Work and Occupations draws on separate strands of research documenting the psychological consequences of (a) precarious employment and other challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and (b) ableism, incorporating both into an examination of disability-based differences in the joint significance of discrimination and work precarity during the pandemic for mental health.

This article in Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (APMR) examines the prevalence, severity, and correlates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation in people with traumatic brain injury (TBI) assessed before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study uses data from the TBI Model Systems Database, finding the prevalence, severity, and correlates of mental health conditions were similar before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This article in the journal Work and Occupations examines disability-based differences in the joint significance of discrimination and work precarity during the pandemic for mental health. Survey analysis found that precarious employment, greater discimination, and disability independently predict depressive symptoms. Further, in the context of greater discrimination, more precarious employment is found to have greater significance for people with disabilities compared to those who are not currently disabled.

This OTJR: Occupation, Participation, and Health journal article describes a study on relationships between these factors and depression in middle-aged adults with physical disabilities during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors also provided recommendations for OTs looking to address symptoms of depression in their clients. Participants in a larger study of people aging with long-term physical disabilities (ages 45–64) completed a supplemental survey with questions about COVID-19, depression, and factors associated with depression.

In this episode of the ADA Live! Podcast, Dr. Lin Hogan offers a clinical perspective on how COVID has impacted our mental health.

In this NIDILRR-funded study published in the journal PLoS ONE, the authors evaluated the impact of COVID-19 pandemic exposure on changes in alcohol use and mood from years 1 to 2 after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Among persons living with TBI, those exposed to the pandemic had significant increases in average alcohol consumption. Pandemic-exposed Hispanics with TBI had large elevations in anxiety symptoms, perhaps reflecting health inequities exacerbated by the pandemic, and suggesting a need for targeted monitoring of psychosocial distress.

This study explored the impact of the pandemic on the mental health and well-being of Latinx caregivers of children with IDD. Specifically, researchers (1) identified which social determinants of health are correlated with maternal caregivers perceived general health, mental health, and well-being; (2) explored the impact of the pandemic on families’ overall eating and physical activity routines; and (3) identified emergent themes from caregivers’ experiences during the pandemic.

This paper compared data from two cross-sectional samples collected before and after the first wave of “stay-at-home” orders to learn more about how COVID-19 and related responses (i.e. stay-at-home orders) may contribute to feelings of social isolation and loneliness among people with disabilities. Social isolation and loneliness are a public health concern because they are associated with poor mental and physical health outcomes and mortality. Post-COVID rural and urban samples reported significantly more interactions with family and close friends.