Background: The emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has created a severe mental health problem for international students living in China. Despite the little information on the psychological impact on international students, we aimed to assess the psychological outcomes and associated factors among international students currently living in China during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: An online cross-sectional survey was conducted from May 28, 2020 to June 12, 2020 on 402 full-time international students across 26 provinces in China. The frequency of symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, insomnia, psychological distress, loneliness, and fear was assessed with the English versions of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6), University of California, Los Angeles, Loneliness Scale (UCLA-LS), and Fear of COVID-19 scale (FCV-19S) scales, respectively.Results: The prevalence of symptoms of depression (73.4%), anxiety (76.6%), stress (58.5%), insomnia (77.6%), psychological distress (71.4%), loneliness (62.4%), and fear (73.1%) among international students during the COVID-19 pandemic was shown. The prevalence of moderate to extremely severe symptoms of all psychological outcomes was significantly associated with 26–30-year-old students, students who lived with roommates, and students who stayed in China shorter than 2 years. Participants in the central region reported significantly moderate to extremely severe symptom levels of all the psychological outcomes except fear symptoms. Univariate analysis indicated that a significant association of all psychological outcomes was found among 26–30-year-old students and students who stayed in China shorter than 2 years. Multivariate analysis showed that Engineering, Business, Social Sciences and Law, and Language students were significantly associated with the symptoms of depression, anxiety, insomnia, and fear. Participants staying in China for shorter than 2 years were associated with a higher risk of all psychological outcomes except psychological distress and loneliness symptoms.Conclusions: We found a higher prevalence of psychological outcomes and risk factors among international students during the COVID-19 pandemic. We immediately appealed to university authorities, mental health professionals, and government officials to provide mental health interventions and strategies for their international students, particularly young, central region students, living with roommates, different study backgrounds, and short time staying during the pandemic.

BackgroundVaccination of healthcare workers (HCWs) is recommended during the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce the risk of infection for themselves and their patients, as well as to encourage their patients to get immunized. The present study aimed to investigate the psychological outcomes and associated factors among vaccinated and unvaccinated HCWs against COVID-19 infection in Bangladesh.MethodsFrom March to August 2021, an online nationwide survey was conducted with a total of 2,038 Bangladeshi HCWs. The frequency of symptoms of general health problems, depression, anxiety, stress, post-traumatic stress disorder, insomnia, and loneliness was assessed using the Bangla versions of the GHQ-12, PHQ-2, GAD-2, PSS-4, PC-PTSD-5, ISI, and UCLA-LS scales, respectively.ResultsCompared with unvaccinated HCWs (n = 1,058), vaccinated HCWs (n = 980) had a statistically significant lower prevalence of general health problems (16.7 vs. 59.1%), depression (15.6 vs. 31.9%), post-traumatic stress disorder (22.3 vs. 30.8%), insomnia (23.8 vs. 64.9%), and loneliness symptoms (13.9 vs. 21.8%). Among vaccinated HCWs, females were significantly associated with a higher risk of symptoms of general health problems (AOR, 2.71; 95% CI, 0.97–7.60), anxiety (AOR, 2.17; 95% CI, 1.14–4.13), and loneliness (AOR, 2.52; 95% CI, 1.11–5.73). Except for anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, participants living in urban areas had a significantly lower risk of all psychological outcomes (e.g., depression: AOR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.27–0.67; stress: AOR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.47–0.88). Respondents who were married were significantly less likely to experience symptoms of general health problems (AOR, 0.10; 95% CI, 0.02–0.39), depression (AOR, 0.31; 95% CI, 0.22–0.82), insomnia (AOR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.20–1.03), and loneliness (AOR, 0.31; 95% CI, 0.10-0.92). Participants who worked as doctors were significantly less chance of experiencing symptoms of general health problems (AOR, 0.18; 95% CI, 0.08–0.37), depression (AOR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.30–0.87), and anxiety (AOR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.37–0.78). On the other hand, unvaccinated HCWs who were 18–29 years old and had <5 years of work experience were significantly associated with a higher risk of all psychological outcomes except anxiety and insomnia symptoms (e.g., depression among 18–29 years old: AOR, 1.83; 95% CI, 0.27–2.60; stress among those with <5 years of work experience: AOR, 2.37; 95% CI, 0.93–6.07). Participants who worked as nurses were significantly more likely to suffer from depression (AOR, 1.44; 95% CI, 0.84–2.46), anxiety (AOR, 1.42; 95% CI, 0.24–1.73), and stress (AOR, 1.55; 95% CI, 0.31–0.89) symptoms. Except for anxiety and stress symptoms, respondents who worked as frontline workers and provided direct care to infected patients were the significantly higher chance of experiencing all psychological outcomes (e.g., depression among who worked as frontline workers: AOR, 2.41; 95% CI, 0.23–3.73; insomnia among those who provide direct care to infected patients: AOR, 2.60; 95% CI, 0.34–3.06). Participants who were infected with COVID-19 had a significantly less chance of experiencing symptoms of general health problems (AOR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.65–1.22), depression (AOR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.48–0.92), and anxiety (AOR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.46–0.87).ConclusionsTo control the infection and improve psychological outcomes, this study suggests emphasizing the vaccinated to unvaccinated HCWs as soon as possible. They also required special attention, health-related education, and psychological support.

BackgroundThe global effort to develop herd immunity in the general public against the COVID-19 pandemic is currently ongoing. However, to the best of our knowledge, there have been no studies on how the COVID-19 vaccine affects mental health in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. The present study investigated the psychological effects and associated factors among vaccinated and unvaccinated general populations against COVID-19 infection in Bangladesh.MethodsA nationwide online cross-sectional survey was conducted in Bangladesh from June 23 to December 25, 2021. The frequency of symptoms of psychological distress, depression, anxiety, stress, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), insomnia, and fear was assessed using the Bangla versions of the GHQ-12, PHQ-2, GAD-2, PSS-4, PC-PTSD-5, ISI, and FCV-19S scales, respectively.ResultsThe study included 3,013 persons from all eight divisions of Bangladesh, with 1,272 (42.2%) being vaccinated and 1,741 (57.8%) being unvaccinated. Compared with unvaccinated populations, vaccinated populations had significantly lower prevalence rates of psychological distress (36.4 vs. 51.5%), depression (21.1 vs. 37.9%), anxiety (25.1 vs. 44.9%), stress (19.4 vs. 30.4%), PTSD (29.4 vs. 38.3%), insomnia (18.7 vs. 39.4%), and fear symptoms (16.1 vs. 27.5%). Among vaccinated populations, respondents who lived in nuclear families were significantly associated with higher risk of psychological distress (AOR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.09–1.78), depression (AOR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.11–1.98), anxiety (AOR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.21–1.98), and fear (AOR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.11–1.83) symptoms. Participants who lost family members, friends, or colleagues due to the COVID-19 pandemic had significantly higher risk of symptoms of psychological distress (AOR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.02–1.79), anxiety (AOR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.11–1.87), and PTSD (AOR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.24–2.19). On the other hand, unvaccinated populations who lived in the Dhaka division were significantly associated with an increased risk of depression (AOR, 2.06; 95% CI, 1.40–2.52), anxiety (AOR, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.15–2.47), stress (AOR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.12–2.88), and insomnia (AOR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.20–2.94) symptoms. Except for PTSD and fear symptoms, unemployed participants had considerably higher rates of psychological distress, depression, anxiety, stress, and insomnia symptoms (e.g., psychological distress: AOR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.10–2.62; depression: AOR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.37–2.19).ConclusionsThis study recommends immunizing unvaccinated populations as soon as possible to prevent infection and boost mental health. Vulnerable people needed special care, health-related education, and psychological assistance.

BackgroundVaccination of teachers is recommended during the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce the risk of infection for themselves and their students, as well as to encourage their parents to get immunized. The present study investigated the mental health outcomes and associated factors among vaccinated and unvaccinated teachers against COVID-19 infection in Bangladesh.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted in Bangladesh from March 4 to September 9, 2021. The frequency of symptoms of psychological distress, depression, anxiety, stress, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), insomnia, and fear was assessed using the Bangla versions of the GHQ-12, PHQ-2, GAD-2, PSS-4, PC-PTSD-5, ISI, and FCV-19S scales, respectively.ResultsA total of 1,527 Bangladeshi teachers completed the questionnaire, with 678 (44.4%) being vaccinated and 849 (55.6%) being unvaccinated. Compared with unvaccinated teachers, vaccinated teachers had a statistically significant lower prevalence of psychological distress (35.8 vs. 42.9%), depression (37.6 vs. 46.4%), anxiety (31.9 vs. 45.1%), stress (18.3 vs. 32.0%), PTSD (33.0 vs. 43.8%), insomnia (25.2 vs. 36.9%), and fear symptoms (23.3 vs. 29.6%). Among vaccinated teachers, participants with master’s or lower degree levels had significantly higher symptoms of depression, stress, and fear than other education levels. Respondents with children had a significantly higher risk of depression, anxiety, stress, and fear symptoms than those who did not have children. Participants who lost family members, friends, or colleagues due to the COVID-19 pandemic had a significantly higher chance of experiencing symptoms of anxiety, PTSD, and fear than those who did not. On the other hand, unvaccinated male teachers were significantly associated with a higher risk of all mental health outcomes except psychological distress and PTSD symptoms compared to female teachers. Participants who were smokers had a significantly higher chance of anxiety, stress, and fear symptoms than non-smokers. Compared to participants with strong social support, those with poor social support had a higher risk of all mental health outcomes except PTSD symptoms.ConclusionThis study suggests emphasizing the vaccinated to unvaccinated teachers as soon as possible to control the infection and improve mental health outcomes. Vulnerable teachers also required special attention, health-related education, and psychological support.

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