Changes in mental health symptoms from April (COVID-19 outbreak) to December 2020 in Norway: A two-wave study

Hagen, Kristen; Solem, Stian; Stavrum, Anne Kristin; Eid, Jarle; Kvale, Gerd; Samdal, Oddrun; Hellard, Stéphanie Le

doi:10.1080/23311908.2023.2173998

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 36 publications

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“…Furthermore, the findings imply that previous or ongoing psychiatric illnesses do not constitute barriers to improvement through concentrated rehabilitation and that these patient groups should therefore not be excluded. This might also be noted as interesting given the potential effects on mental health related to the lock-down 41 – 43 . In line with this, our group has previously found increased functional levels and decreased symptoms following concentrated rehabilitation for patients with longstanding anxiety and/or depression 24 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

A safe and effective micro-choice based rehabilitation for patients with long COVID: results from a quasi-experimental study

Frisk

Jürgensen

Njøten

et al. 2023

Sci Rep

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At least 65 million people suffer from long COVID. Treatment guidelines are unclear, especially pertaining to recommendations of increased activity. This longitudinal study evaluated safety, changes in functional level and sick leave following a concentrated rehabilitation program for patients with long COVID. Seventy-eight patients (19–67 years) participated in a 3-day micro-choice based rehabilitation program with 7-day and 3-month follow-up. Fatigue, functional levels, sick leave, dyspnea and exercise capacity were assessed. No adverse events were reported and 97.4% completed the rehabilitation. Fatigue measured with Chalder Fatigue Questionnaire decreased at 7-days [mean difference (MD = − 4.5, 95% CI − 5.5 to − 3.4) and 3-month (MD = − 5.5, 95% CI − 6.7 to − 4.3). Sick leave rates and dyspnea were reduced (p < 0.001) and exercise capacity and functional level increased (p < 0.001) at 3-month follow-up regardless of severity of fatigue at baseline. Micro-choice based concentrated rehabilitation for patients with long COVID was safe, highly acceptable and showed rapid improvements in fatigue and functional levels, sustaining over time. Even though this is a quasi-experimental study, the findings are of importance addressing the tremendous challenges of disability due to long COVID. Our results are also highly relevant for patients, as they provide the base for an optimistic outlook and evidence supported reason for hope.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

A safe and effective micro-choice based rehabilitation for patients with long COVID: results from a quasi-experimental study

Frisk

Jürgensen

Njøten

et al. 2023

Sci Rep

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A qualitative study of the psychological effects of quarantine as an infection control measure in Norway

Eid,

Bøhn,

Guderud

et al. 2024

Curr Psychol

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This study explores the psychological reactions to being placed in quarantine during the early stage (March and April 2020) of the COVID-19 lockdown in Norway. We interviewed a sample of nineteen Norwegian citizens aged 21–64 years who were quarantined for 14 days in the early period of the pandemic before testing and vaccination were available to the general population. A semi-structured interview guide was used to conduct in-depth interviews about stress, coping, and adaptation to quarantine. A thematic analysis approach was used. Four main themes emerged in the interviews: (a) Being responsible, in terms of addressing the fear of being infected and infecting others, (b) The stress of the situation, in terms of highlighting worries, loss and loneliness, (c) Ways of coping, in terms of elaborating on cognitive, behavioral, and affective strategies to adapt to the quarantine, and (d) Social support and gratitude, in terms of appreciating interpersonal relations and the social context of the quarantine situation. The study contributes to our understanding of how differences in stress, appraisal, and coping may influence adaptation to a radically changed living condition in the early stage of the pandemic. These findings may inform health service providers and promote public health advise to support coping and resilient response in future health crises.

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Concentrated transdiagnostic and cross-disciplinary micro-choice based group treatment for patients with depression and with anxiety leads to lasting improvements after 12 months: a pilot study

Wilhelmsen-Langeland,

Børtveit,

Jürgensen

et al. 2024

BMC Psychiatry

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Background A concentrated transdiagnostic and micro choice-based group treatment for patients with depression and anxiety has previously shown to yield significant reduction in symptoms and increased level of functioning from pre to 3-month follow-up. In the present study, we report the results after 12 months follow-up. Methods This was a non-randomized clinical intervention pilot study, conducted in line with a published protocol. Sixty-seven consecutively referred patients, aged 19–47 (mean age 32.5, SD = 8.0) were included and completed treatment. All had a severity of their problems that entitled them to care in the specialist public mental health care. Self-reported age at onset of symptoms was 17.6 (SD = 7.9) years. Mean number of prior treatment courses was 3.5 (SD = 3.3; range 0–20). The main objective was to assess the treatment effectiveness by questionnaires measuring relevant symptoms at pre-treatment, 7 days-, 3 months-, 6 months- and at 12-months follow-up. Results Validated measures of functional impairment (WSAS), depression (PHQ9), anxiety (GAD7), worry (PSWQ), fatigue (CFQ), insomnia (BIS) and illness perception (BIPQ) improved significantly (p < .0005) from before treatment to 12 months follow-up, yielding mostly large to extremely large effect sizes (0.89–3.68), whereas some moderate (0.60–0.76). After 12 months, 74% report an overall improvement in problems related to anxiety and depression. Utilization of specialist, public and private mental health care was reported as nonexistent or had decreased for 70% of the patients at 12-month follow up. Conclusions The concentrated, micro-choice based group treatment approach yielded a highly clinically significant reduction in a wide range of symptoms already one week after treatment, and the positive results persisted at 12-month follow-up. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05234281, first posted date 10/02/2022.

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Changes in mental health symptoms from April (COVID-19 outbreak) to December 2020 in Norway: A two-wave study

Cited by 3 publications

References 36 publications

A safe and effective micro-choice based rehabilitation for patients with long COVID: results from a quasi-experimental study

A safe and effective micro-choice based rehabilitation for patients with long COVID: results from a quasi-experimental study

A qualitative study of the psychological effects of quarantine as an infection control measure in Norway

Concentrated transdiagnostic and cross-disciplinary micro-choice based group treatment for patients with depression and with anxiety leads to lasting improvements after 12 months: a pilot study

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