Background: Mental health has been identified by the World Health Organization as an integral component of the COVID-19 response. Aims: This study aimed to estimate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on mental, neurological and substance use disorders (MNS) services in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Methods: The assessment was conducted through a web-based survey that was completed by national mental health focal points and was analysed between June and August 2020. Results: School and workplace mental health services were wholly or partially disrupted in more than 70% of reporting countries. Fewer than 20% of the countries in the Region reported mental health services for children and adolescents or for older adults being fully operational. The main reasons were travel restrictions, decreases in inpatient volumes due to the cancellation of elective care, decreases in outpatient volumes due to patients not presenting and health authority directives for the closure of outpatient services. The majority (85%) of countries responded by establishing MNS helplines using telemedicine/teletherapy and digital psychological interventions. The fragile and conflict-affected states relied mostly on implementing infection prevention and control measures at MNS service facilities. Gaps were identified in the areas of addictive behaviours, substance use and neurology research related to the pandemic. Conclusion: The assessment highlights the need to strengthen capacities for monitoring changes in service delivery and utilization, and documents evidence on what works in different settings during the different phases of the pandemic to facilitate informed decisions related to the nature and timing of adaptations to service delivery.
Background: Depression is a common illness worldwide with high rate among medical students. The objectives were to estimate the prevalence of depression among medical students in Alexandria, and identify its correlates.
Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used. The study was conducted at the Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria Uni- versity. Using a systematic random sampling technique, 390 students attending 4th, 5th, and 6th academic years were included. Data was collected using the Arabic version of the BDI-II and a predesigned structured self-administered questionnaire, including questions about the students’ personal and social characteristics and academic environment.
Results: Moderate and severe depression accounted for 27.9% and 17.2%, respectively. Logistic regression analysis results showed that the independent predictors for moderate and severe depression were female gender, the presence of mental illness, not having someone to talk to when under stress, experiencing stressful life event(s) during the previous 6 months, not being satisfied with the socioeconomic level, reporting that the surrounding environment is not suitable for studying, not specifying a grade to achieve, and extreme dissatisfaction with the student’s result.
Conclusion: Prevalence of moderate and severe depression was high among medical students, calling for actions to help those students and to prevent new cases.
Keywords: BDI-II; depression; determinants; medical students; prevalence.
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