Many medical workers suffered from severe professional burnout while working in the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic, but few of them had the opportunity to find psychological help.

The aim of the research was to study the relationship between emotional burnout and self-help strategies in medical professionals during the pandemic.

The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) was used to measure the level of professional burnout. It was filled out by medical workers from January 2021 to November 2022.

The sample consisted of 314 medical workers (57 men and 255 women), whose average age was 36.97±11.93. According to the level of education, the sample included specialists with secondary general education (4.14%), with secondary special education (19.4%), with incomplete higher education (11.46%), with higher education (59.87%) and PhD (5.1%). 35 people (11%) of the surveyed medical workers worked in the red zone.

When medical workers experience severe Emotional Exhaustion and Depersonalization, they often try to help themselves by drinking alcohol (r=0.156; p=0.005; r=0.184; p=0.001), eating (r=0.227; p=0.000; r=0.151; p=0.007), taking medications (r=0.204; p=0.000; r=0.212; p=0.005), solitude (r=0.204; p=0.000; r=0.133; p=0.019), watching TV series (r=0.173; p=0.002; r=0.146; p=0.01). With an increase in the Reduction of professional skills, medical workers also eat more (r=-0.148; p=0.009) and try to learn something new, engage in self-development (r=-0.137; p=0.015). It is important to note that the desire to seek psychological help is associated only with Emotional Exhaustion (r=0.121, p=0.032), that is, he/she may be aware at an early stage of professional burnout, when the symptoms of depersonalization and reduction of professional skills have not yet occurred.

Thus, all the considered self-help methods are already used with pronounced symptoms of professional burnout, but do not lead to its pronounced decrease. It is important to note that seeking psychological help is possible with awareness of emotional exhaustion, but not with depersonalization and reduction of professional skills.

Disclosure: Research is supported by the Russian Science Foundation, project No. 21-18-00624.

None Declared

The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly become a stressful event for medical workers, so the aim of this research was to study the pandemic-specific working conditions that may be associated with the professional burnout of medical workers in Russia.

To study the pandemic-specific working conditions that may be associated with the professional burnout of medical workers in Russia.

The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) was used to measure the level of professional burnout. It was filled out by medical workers from January 2021 to November 2022.

The sample consisted of 314 medical workers (57 men and 255 women), whose average age was 36.97±11.93. According to the level of education, the sample included specialists with secondary general education (4.14%), with secondary special education (19.4%), with incomplete higher education (11.46%), with higher education (59.87%) and PhD (5.1%). 35 people (11%) of the surveyed medical workers worked in the red zone.

Working in the red zone is significantly associated with Emotional Exhaustion (p=0.002) and Depersonalization (p=0.002), but not with a Reduction in Professionalism.

The working conditions of medical workers who were significantly associated simultaneously with Emotional Exhaustion, Depersonalization and Reduction of professionalism (respectively): (1) Lack of confidence in support from the health system and the state in case of illness (r=0.170, p=0.002; r=0.202, p=0.000; r=-0.171, 0. 002); (2) Inability to meet the usual personal needs (daily routine, nutrition, communication with loved ones) as employment increases at work (r=0.200, p=0.000; r=0.154, p=0.006; r=-0.186, 0. 001); (3) Lack of confidence in their own professional competence in the fight against COVID-19 due to lack of knowledge about COVID-19 (r=0.202, p=0.000; r=0.148, p=0.009; r=-0.211, 0. 000); (4) Lack of confidence in their own effectiveness in the fight against COVID-19 due to the increase in the volume of work and the expansion of the scope of professional responsibilities (r=0.234, p=0.000; r=0.152, p=0.007; r=-0.177, 0. 002); (5) Lack of access to up-to-date information about COVID-19 (r=0.190, p=0.001; r=0.158, p=0.005; r=-0.140, 0. 013).

The Emotional Exhaustion scale is also associated with the fear of getting infected and getting sick with COVID-19 (r=0.125; p=0.026), as well as the lack of quick access to testing when COVID-19 symptoms appear (r=0.169; p=0.003).

Thus, not only work in the red zone, but also many specific working conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic can become a provocateur factor for the deterioration of the emotional state of medical workers.

Disclosure: Research is supported by the Russian Science Foundation, project No. 21-18-00624.

None Declared

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on people’s lives, affecting various aspects of society and potentially altering the quality of life of certain groups. The World Health Organisation defines quality of life as an individual’s physical, psychological, emotional, and social health as perceived by themselves in relation to society. It appears that the pandemic disproportionately affected the most susceptible societal segments, comprising university students who encountered significant stress due to the shift to remote learning, and individuals living with HIV who faced difficulties in accessing medical assistance.

The study aimed to investigate the quality of life of students studying the humanities disciplines and HIV patients during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Russia.

Data collection was conducted from January to July 2021, using a Google form developed by the researchers. The study included 35 students from Russian universities studying humanities specialities and 59 HIV-positive patients. To check the quality of life, we used the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire, adapted for use in Russia.

We found that on the domains “physical and psychological well-being” (M = 20.26±3.89 - students, M = 21.43±3.62 - patients, p = 0.144) and “self-image” (M = 19.11±3.53 vs M = 19.52±2.92, p = 0.553) respondents from the two groups did not differ from each other. The domain “microsocial support” was more pronounced in students than patients (M = 10.71±2.48 vs M = 9.17±2.96, p = 0.011). A similar situation was observed in “social well-being” (M = 27.23±4.33 vs M = 24.97±5.24, p = 0.034).

During the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Russia, individuals living with HIV experienced a lower quality of life compared to students in humanities disciplines. Individuals living with HIV reported lower satisfaction with their relationships within their immediate environment, including family and friends, as well as their overall social well-being, encompassing factors like safety, material wealth, access to medical care, and transportation. In these pandemic conditions, it became evident that individuals with HIV required more extensive social support measures than students.

None Declared

Baseline beliefs, as conceptualized by R. Janoff-Bulman in her cognitive theory of mental trauma, represent an inherent internal framework that shapes how individuals perceive and assess traumatic events. It is widely acknowledged that the pandemic has had a profound impact on the global economy and the living conditions of individuals. Consequently, it is reasonable to assume that during a pandemic, one’s ability to adapt to these altered circumstances is influenced by their foundational beliefs. Consequently, exploring these fundamental beliefs in two at-risk groups, namely university students and individuals with confirmed HIV, becomes a subject of significant interest.

This study aims to examine the fundamental beliefs of patients with HIV and university students in the context of the second wave of the new coronavirus pandemic in Russia.

Data collection took place from January to July 2021 using a custom-developed Google form. The study involved 35 Russian university students majoring in humanities and 59 HIV-positive patients. We employed the WAS-37 methodology, adapted for use in Russia, to assess their baseline beliefs.

We found that on the scales “Fairness” (M = 21.00±3.73 - students, M = 20.53±4.63 - patients, p = 0.616), “Luck” (M = 31.74±5.06 vs M = 29.59±7.33, p = 0.129) and “Control beliefs” (M = 26.66±4.80 vs M = 27.12±4.42, p = 0.636) students did not differ from patients. Scores on the Environment Benevolence scale were higher in students (M = 35.46±7.33 vs M = 30.50±7.09, p = 0.002) and on the Self Image scale were higher in HIV patients (M = 26.63±6.97 vs M = 30.03±5.41, p = 0.010).

During the latter stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in Russia, individuals living with HIV, when compared to students, tended to perceive the world around them as being more perilous and unfriendly, while simultaneously viewing themselves as possessing greater integrity. From our perspective, this latter observation could be interpreted as a means of self-defence against the perceived hostility of the external world. In such pandemic circumstances, it may be advisable to consider the use of supportive psychotherapy for individuals living with HIV.

None Declared

As the global community grapples with the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, its reverberations extend beyond the realm of physical health, significantly impacting mental health care systems. This article delves into the multifaceted effects of COVID-19 on community mental health care referrals, scrutinizing the challenges, adaptations, and potential innovations that have emerged in the wake of this unprecedented crisis. By examining the nuanced interplay between the pandemic and mental health care access, we seek to shed light on crucial considerations for the future of community mental health services in a post-pandemic landscape.

To understand impact of Covid 19 pandemic on number of referrals received by a specific community mental health service.

We analysed number of referrals to a specific community mental health services since July 2019 until July 2022.

During the period assessed we noticed a significant decrease to number of new referrals to a specific community mental health service with onset of covid 19 pandemic. We also noticed a progressive increase to the number of referrals in the first six months of July 2022.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on attendance to healthcare appointments, leading to decreased attendance, shift to telemedicine, delays in care, increased no-shows, and rescheduling of appointments. The pandemic has also highlighted the importance of being prepared for and able to adapt to changes in the healthcare landscape.

None Declared

The COVID-19 pandemic caused an unprecedented major health crisis. Current data suggest that psychiatric sequelae may persist for a long time in survivors after infection.

The objectives of our study were to determine the frequency of anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, and posttraumatic stress disorder in patients after hospitalization for COVID-19 infection, and to investigate factors associated with their occurrence as well as to identify coping behaviors in these patients.

This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted at Ibn Jazzar Kairouan Hospital between September and December 2021 among patients who consulted three months after their hospitalizations for COVID-19 infection. The assessment of the different psychiatric disorders was performed using the validated Arabic versions of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Coping behaviors were studied using the Brief-COPE scale.

Our work included 104 patients. The median age was 55.5 years [IQR:47-64]. The gender ratio M/F was 1.12. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were found in 26.9% and 25% of cases, respectively. The frequency of post-traumatic stress disorder was 22.1% and that of sleep disorders was 41.3%. Problem-solving strategies were the most widely adopted, followed by emotion-focused strategies. Younger age, female gender, persistence of a physical symptom, impairment of daily activity, and stigma were factors independently associated with psychological distress. No association was found between the intensive care unit stay and psychiatric disorders. Problem-focused and emotion-focused coping were negatively correlated with the different psychological outcomes studied.

Psychological distress in COVID-19 survivors persists beyond the acute phase and results from an intricacy of several factors. This highlights the importance of regular psychiatric follow-up after hospitalization in order to identify and treat, as early as possible, psychiatric disorders.

None Declared

Caregivers in the Sfax region, Tunisia, having been at the forefront in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, were therefore faced with intense stress. It seemed useful and interesting to us to study their adaptation strategies during this period of pandemic.

The aims of our study were to identify the coping strategies used by Tunisian Healthcare workers (HCW) during the Covid-19 pandemic and to study the links of the different coping strategies with perceived social support and trait anxiety.

A cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytical study conducted among 254 Tunisian HCW working at the Habib Bourguiba and Hedi Chaker university hospitals in Sfax, during period from January 2021 to April 2021. the questionnaire used included an information sheet and three scales; “Social support questionary 6” (SSQ-6), “State Trait Inventory Anxiety Form Y2” (STAI-Y2), and “Ways of Coping Checklist” (WCC).

Using the WCC scale, the strategy most used by participants was the problem-focused one (M = 2.98 ±0.53), followed by the emotion-focused strategy (M = 2.65 ±0 .58), and that centered on the search for social support (M = 2.64 ±0.59). Using the SSQ-6, the mean score for the availability of perceived social support was equal to 8.91±4.59 and the score mean perceived satisfaction was equal to 28.63±5.84. The prevalence of trait anxiety was 50%, according to the STAI-Y2. Statistical tests showed that problem-focused coping was the strategy most adopted by non-anxious participants. They also showed that the higher the availability of perceived social support, the more the social support-seeking coping strategy was chosen, and the higher the perceived satisfaction with perceived social support, the less the emotion-focused strategy was chosen.

It seems necessary to propose a learning program for coping strategies to counter the potential emergence of ineffective strategies and to reinforce the use of effective strategies, in order to improve or maintain optimal well-being of health personnel.

None Declared

Rates of anxiety in the general population increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Several studies have shown that people exposed to SARS-CoV2 are at increased risk for both exacerbation and de novo development of anxiety disorders. Therefore, screening for anxiety disorders in this at-risk population is essential. In pre-pandemic studies, the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD-7) was one of the most commonly used self-report instruments. Its validity has been demonstrated in several studies. However, there is no agreement among researchers about its underlying internal structure. Both one-factor and two-factor solutions have been reported. This discrepancy may be due to linguistic, cultural, and clinical differences between the populations studied. To our knowledge, no studies have been conducted to investigate the factor structure of the GAD-7 in the Russian-speaking community sample and the psychometric properties of this questionnaire in SARS-CoV2 exposed individuals.

The aim of the study was to determine the factorial structure and internal consistency of the Russian version of the GAD-7 in a large sample of Moscow residents exposed to SARS-CoV2.

Fourteen thousand 725 (male - 11479 (78.0%), age - 18-79 years (M - 47.09, SD - 12.70) Moscow residents exposed to SARS-CoV2 completed an online survey including the GAD-7 and an ad hoc questionnaire focusing on socio-demographic characteristics. McDonald’s Omega was used to assess internal consistency. Exploratory structural equation modelling (ESEM) with weighted least squares means and variance adjusted estimator and geomin rotation was used to assess the factor structure of the Russian version of the GAD-7.

The McDonald’s Omega of the Russian version of the GAD-7 was 0.85, indicating a good internal consistency of the questionnaire. ESEM provided evidence for a one-factor solution that fits the data well (CFI - 0.996; TLI - 0.995; RMSEA (95% CI) - 0.041 (0.037 - 0.045)).

In Russian people exposed to SARS-CoV2, the GAD-7 showed good internal consistency. Our results are consistent with those of previous studies that reported a single-factor solution for the questionnaire.

None Declared

The nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) is the first choice for screening for depression in primary care and other medical settings. The PHQ-9 has been shown to be a reliable and valid measure of depression symptoms, but there is disagreement among researchers about the factor structure of this questionnaire. Recent systematic reviews have found four different factor models of the PHQ-9, with one- and two-factor models being the most common. This discrepancy may be due to linguistic, cultural and clinical differences between the populations studied. The factor structure of the Russian version of the PHQ-9 during the COVID-19 pandemic has not been examined in any study to date.

The aim of our study was to determine the factorial structure and internal consistency of the Russian version of the PHQ-9 in COVID-19 survivors.

Fourteen thousand 725 (female - 11479 (78.0%), age - 18-79 years (M - 47.09, SD - 12.70) participants completed an online survey including the PHQ-9 and an ad hoc questionnaire focusing on sociodemographic and COVID-related characteristics. McDonald’s omega coefficient was estimated to determine the internal consistency of the questionnaire. Exploratory structural equation modelling (ESEM) with weighted least squares mean and variance adjusted estimator and geomin rotation was performed in Mplus 7.

ESEM provided evidence for a three-factor structure of the PHQ-9, representing affective (items 2, 6, 9), anergic (items 1, 3) and somatic (items 3, 5, 7, 8) dimensions of depression. These factors fit the data well (CFI - 0.998; TLI - 0.994; RMSEA (95% CI) - 0.028 (0.024 - 0.032)), better than a single factor (CFI - 0. 955; TLI - 0. 940; RMSEA (95% CI) - 0.089 (0.087 - 0.092)) and two-factor (CFI - 0.985; TLI - 0.971; RMSEA (95% CI) - 0.062 (0.059 - 0.065)). The McDonald’s omega was 0.82.

Our study revealed a three-factor structure of the Russian version of the PHQ-9 in COVID-19 survivors. COVID-19. A high internal consistency of the Russian version of the instrument was confirmed.

None Declared

It is known that many psychopharmacological drugs have anti-inflammatory, as well as antibacterial and antiviral effects.

To investigate the association between the severity and duration criteria of COVID-19 with psychopharmacotherapy in double-diagnosed patients.

A total of 169 case histories from a specialized infectious psychiatric department (May 2020 to January 2021) were evaluated. Progression indicators of severe and mild COVID-19, along with the duration of persistent SARS-CoV-2 viral shedding, were assessed in correlation with the administration of antidepressants, antipsychotics, and acid sphingomyelinase inhibitors (FIASMA-active drugs).

The use of any psychotropic agents was associated with a 0.9% increase in the risk of severe course of COVID-19 for each unit increase in the systemic inflammation index PLR, specifically in patients with intellectual disability (ICD-10 codes F70-79), when compared to patients with schizophrenia (ICD-10 codes F20-29): R²McF=0.138; AIC=181; χ²=25.8; df=9; p=0.002. High PLR values and the use of FIASMA-active drugs were associated with prolonged COVID-19 duration, while antidepressant therapy and elevated C-reactive protein levels were associated with a reduced predicted duration of viral shedding in 13.8% of variance: R²=0.0864; AIC=1299; F=5.2(3), p=0.002. Including the nosology of psychiatric disorders in the regression model increased the proportion of explained variance to 22.8%.

Thymoanaleptic therapy for individuals with psychiatric disorders may act as a protective factor against COVID-19. There is no evidence suggesting adverse effects of antipsychotics on the severity and duration of COVID-19. Further research is necessary to investigate the effects of FIASMA-active psychopharmacological agents within nosologically homogeneous groups.

None Declared

The coronavirus pandemic has affected mental health since its outbreak in 2019 and several studies have revealed that obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients were adversely affected.

The aim of our present report is to study the impact of the coronavirus infection on OCD.

We illustrate a case of new emerging obsessions and compulsions after a COVID-19 infection in a patient consulting at the Psychiatry C department of the Hedi Chaker University Hospital.

Mr. HB first presented in our outpatient unit of the Psychiatry C department at the age of 32. His medical history was unremarkable except for a COVID-19 infection in June 2022 that did not cause any organic complications. His family history was negative without neurological and psychiatric diseases. Further history revealed that OCD symptoms already started before his infection with COVID-19. At that time, he suffered from compulsions with the urge to constantly wash his hands and check rituals, but his symptoms were not severe enough to make him seek a psychiatric consult or treatment. However, since July 2022, soon after his infection with COVID-19, he suffered from new obsessions and compulsions, he would spend hours calculating all the numbers he sees and counting the number of letters in the words he came across. Non-surprisingly, OCD symptoms caused relevant problems in social life, and at work, he had difficulties concentrating and working. Due to his symptoms, he had neglected hobbies, avoided social contact, spent less time with his family, and even had suicidal thoughts. Therefore, pharmacotherapy with clomipramine was initiated with a maximal dose of 150 mg/d. Because of adverse events and lack of efficacy, he stopped medication and decided to consult our department to seek a different treatment. Therefore, sertraline was started at the dose of 50 mg/d along with psychotherapy.

People with OCD are likely to be more susceptible to the mental health impact of COVID-19. Responses to the pandemic are not only associated with an increase in all Obsessive-Compulsive (OC) symptoms and their severity but also the emergence of new types of obsessions and compulsions. Consequently, therapists should consider the effects of the pandemic on all OC symptom dimensions and adjust their treatment plans accordingly.

None Declared

Psychotic patients are a vulnerable population from a social and health point of view. The SARS Cov-2 pandemic affected millions of people around the world, however, its effects on psychotic patients in Avilés Spain, have not been analized.

The objective of this study was to determine and compare the mortality of patients with psychosis due to SARS Cov-2 in Avilés, Spain with others regions and countries in the European Union. Determine the influence of social condition and antipsychotic treatment on the condition of these patients.

This is a descriptive, observational study, in which patients diagnosed with psychosis in the period 2020-2021 who contracted SARS Cov-2 infection in Avilés, Spain, were studied to determine those who died from this cause. The influence of social status and antipsychotic medication, as well as sociodemographic factors (age, sex, marital status) were analyzed and compared with other regions and countries of the European Union.

Despite the high mortality rate in patients with psychosis, during the years of the pandemic SARS Cov-2 played an important role given the vulnerability of these patients.

The negative effects and deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic were at the time a major problem for public health worldwide. This study concluded that the morbidity and mortality of psychotic patients who contracted COVID-19 was lower than the rest of the population.

None Declared

The coronavirus pandemic has led to sudden changes in the lives of people around the world. The health threat, earthquakes and epidemiological measures caused certain psychological reactions in everyone. Psychiatric patients are particularly vulnerable to stress, so we were interested in how the changes at the beginning of the pandemic affected their psychological functioning.

To check changes in some areas of psychological functioning of outpatient psychiatric patients after the “lockdown” in 2020 and to examine their connection with some sociodemographic and treatment variables.

Patients of the University Psychiatric Hospital Sveti Ivan filled out a survey questionnaire designed for the purpose of research, which consisted of sociodemographic data and items examining different areas of psychological functioning, when they arrived for an outpatient check-up.

Variables were formed that examine: changes in unpleasant emotions, lack of support, lack of social interaction, changes in performing daily duties, changes in self-help behaviors and health concerns. Statistical analysis showed a significant increase in all variables, with the largest occurring in lack of social interaction, health concerns, and unpleasant emotions. The predictors of changes in psychological functioning were female gender, younger age in combination with cohabitation with parents, and the number of hospitalizations.

After the “lockdown” in 2020, psychiatric patients report a deterioration in psychological functioning.

None Declared

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused psychological distress in all the communities and through all ages. Some people seemed to be less affected and to be resilient because of a dynamic interaction between individual, relational and environmental factors.

We aim on this present study to evaluate the resilience and factors associated with it among a representative sample of Tunisian adolescents during the COVID19 pandemic.

We conducted a cross sectional, descriptive and analytic study among Tunisian adolescents enrolled in secondary schools, in the Hamma region of the city of Gabes during the period extending from 5 March to 26 May 2021. Students were asked to complete a pre-established questionnaire, which contains questions about socio demographic features, medical history and knowledge about the pandemic of covid-19. The Child and Youth Resilience Measure (CYRM-28) was used to evaluate the global resilience and resources contributing to it. The CYRM-28 contains three resources including individual, relationship with primary caregivers and contextual factors. Higher scores reflect higher levels of factors associated with resilience.

A total of 326 adolescents aged between 14 and 18 years old participated on this study (mean age 16.65 years 1). There were 92 boys and 234 girls. In our sample, 4% of adolescents were infected by the Covid-19. The infection of a family member by this virus was noted in 27.3 % of cases. Adolescents were exposed to the death of a family member by Covid-19 in 22.4% of cases. The Global CYRM28 score was 105 ± 22.39. We found that adolescents who had loosen a family member because of the COVID infection, were less resilient than others (100 vs 107; p=0.023). Adolescents with a moderate to low socioeconomic level were less resilient especially with regard to contextual resilience (35, 57 vs 37, 83; p= 0.019). On the other hand, adolescents keeping means of leisure during this epidemic were significantly more resilient especially in the personal resources (p = 0.024).

Our findings conclude to some individual, relational and contextual factors that contribute or alters the process of resilience. Recognizing the strengths and capacities of adolescents would allow the development of programs and resources that can help these young people develop resilience skills.

None Declared

Since December 2019, the coronavirus pandemic has led to the deaths of almost 4.37 million people worldwide and 21,905 people in Tunisia. Containment measures, stress due to fear of infection by the virus and death are likely to be traumatic events, particularly in adolescents, and may lead to the development of symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

To determine the prevalence of PTSD in a population of adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic and to identify the factors associated with it.

This study was a cross-sectional among a representative sample of students enrolled in secondary schools, in the region of Hamma- Gabes. We used a pre-established information sheet comprising 27 questions exploring sociodemographic and family data and specific data relating to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Arabic version of The Child PTSD Symptom Scale (CPSS) was used to screen for PTSD symptoms.

326 adolescents were collected which the mean age was 16.6 years (14 to 18 years). The family environment was conflictual in 11.9% of cases. Among the adolescents, 5.5% had a history of somatic pathology. A history of psychiatric pathology was noted in 0.6%, dominated by depression. Personal infection by Covid-19 was noted in 4% of adolescents. A family member was affected in 27.3% of cases. Adolescents were exposed to the death of a close relative in 22.4% of cases. PTSD was diagnosed (according to the CPSS) in 37.4% of cases, with mild severity in 6.5%, moderate in 0.6%, moderately severe in 8%, severe in 5.2% and extremely severe in 17.2%. The analytical study showed that PTSD was correlated with a conflictual family environment (p=0.017), personal infection by COVID (P=0.003), infection of a close relative by COVID (P<0.001) and the death of a close relative by COVID (p<0.001).

According to our study, the frequency of post-traumatic stress disorder among adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic was high, underlining the need to screen at-risk populations for populations for early intervention.

None Declared

Covid-19 does not only have repercussions on the physical level, representing a new way of life, both individually and in society. The pandemic results in invisible consequences for the population’s mental health.

This study aimed to explore the consequences of Covid-19 on mental health in Portugal with a view to understanding and promoting the well-being and happiness of the Portuguese.

The study included 105 young people and adults, aged between 18 and 59 years (M= 21.81, SD= 5.34), with 43.3% males and 52.7% females. A sociodemographic questionnaire was applied to all participants, as well as the Échelle de Mesure des Manifestations du Bien-Être Psychologique (ÈMMBEP; Massé et al., 1998 - Portuguese translation by Monteiro, Tavares & Pereira, 2012) which translates into a response scale 5-point Likert type, with five subscales, including happiness. In addition, a semistructured interview with data collection instruments was administered.

The results obtained demonstrate the negative impact of Covid-19 on the level of well-being, regardless of the participant’s gender or age.

The data presented point to the need to sensitize individuals to the risk of the pandemic in terms of mental health, thus increasing society’s awareness of the psychological effects of this new global disease. Therefore, coping mechanisms are essential to promote well-being and successfully overcome the pandemic.

None Declared

In Tunisia, the 2019 corona virus pandemic was a challenging health situation, with more than 28 000 confirmed deaths in May 2022. The pandemic was responsible for people losing their beloved ones in a sudden and brutal ways. Even though the numbers of bereaved people had been escalating, little attention was paid toward their mental health. Grief is a normal response to losing someone close. However, recent studies have shown that the covid-19 grief is more severe than other causes of grief. It not only causes a negative impact on the bereaved life aspects but also creates severe consequences in the society. Screening a possible dysfunctional grief is a major need to prevent serious outcomes.

To identify the prevalence of covid-19 dysfunctional grief and find out the possible associated risk factors to it.

A cross sectional online survey designed using Google Forms and distributed on social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp) was conducted from 16 February 2022 to 05 May 2022. The participants provided information related to socio-demographic data. Covid-19 grief scale was assessed using the pandemic grief scale, which was translated into Arabic but not validated.

A sample of 106 participants were recruited to this study .The sample was composed of Approximately 72% female and 28 % males, most of them were aged between 26 and 35 years old (37.7% ) . Overall, individuals who lost a loved one more than 06 months period were more frequent (81%). 91.7 % of the sample scored above the cut score of 7 on the PGS.

Covid-19 grief was higher among those who sought psychological help (p = 0.02). In this sample, there was no associated risk factors between different socio-demographic characteristics and dysfunctional grief, as well as no correlation were found between period of time since the loss and dysfunctional grief ( rho = 0.186, p = 0.56) .

Although our study did not find a significant high prevalence of dysfunctional grief giving the small number of participants. More studies and screening must be conducted to identify those at risk of developing dysfunctional grief to prevent the serious individual and general outcomes.

None Declared

In ordinary circumstances, the employed individuals demonstrate significant levels of psychological distress and presenteeism, a situation that has been further intensified by the COVID-19 epidemic. Furthermore, a limited number of studies have examined the phenomenon of presenteeism in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, therefore necessitating the undertaking of the present study.

The goal of this study was to investigate the levels of presenteeism and its related characteristics, as well as job satisfaction and psychological distress, among a sample of employees employed at a Private Social Solidarity Institution (IPSS) in Portugal.

A cross-sectional survey was undertaken in 2022 to observe personnel from an IPSS located in the central area of Portugal. The research had a sample size of 71 workers who were provided with a signed authorization. The survey was designed to gather both general and professional information from participants. Additionally, it included the Stanford Presenteeism Scale (SPS-6), the Job Satisfaction Questionnaire (S20/23), and the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) as measurement tools.

The occurrence of presenteeism was seen in 32 employees, accounting for 45.1% of the sample, whereas illness absence was reported by 38 workers, representing 54.3% of the sample. The majority of the individual assessments for S20/23 demonstrated a higher degree of satisfaction (mean ≥ 4.5 points.), with the exception of the salary-related issue, which elicited a higher level of discontent (mean = 3.36 ± 1.9 pts.). Approximately 50.7% of the individuals had a high or very high susceptibility to experiencing or developing a mental condition. The correlation matrix revealed a statistically significant moderate positive association between presenteeism and work satisfaction, as well as a statistically significant moderate negative link between presenteeism and psychological distress (p<0.01). The associated factors of presenteeism were found to be marital status, quality of sleep, illness absenteeism, health perception, and psychological distress. The combined effect of these predictors was shown to account for 35.8% of the variance in presenteeism.

It is expected that the outcomes of our research will stimulate more investigations into the tangible implications of presenteeism in promoting improved health and well-being within the workplace.

None Declared

The SARS-COV-2 infection emerging in 2019 caused over 600 million infected people worldwide leading to an explosion of multiple physical and mental health problems. In this study we brought the light to the persistent troubles in sleep and pain among the survivors of the pandemic.

We aimed to assess the prevalence of insomnia and the severity of pain among covid-19 survivors, and to seek an association between the two disorders.

We conducted a prospective cohort study including 121 Tunisian COVID-19 inpatients who had been discharged alive from hospital. Each enrolled patient was asked about the period before the hospital stay, and the 6-9 month-period after hospital discharge, using the visual analog scale (VAS) to assess pain, insomnia severity index (ISI) to evaluate insomnia severity and the mMRC (modified British Medical Research Council) to estimate dyspnea.

The median age of participants was 59 years. Among them, 51.2% were females.

Our findings showed a significant increase in VAS score after COVID infection (1 [IQR (1-2] vs 3[1-6]; p<0.001) as well as with the ISI score (1 [IQR (1-1)] vs 5 [IQR (1-9)]; p<0.0001). The prevalence of insomnia and pain in long haulers was 30.56% and 26.4% respectively.

We found a significant correlation between insomnia and pain (p<0.0001, r=0.398). We also found a significant association between dyspnea and insomnia (p<0.0001) and between dyspnea and pain (p=0.001). The age of the patients was correlated with insomnia (p=0.028) and with dyspnea (p=0.007) but not with pain. Female gender was associated with developing insomnia (p<0.0001) and with pain (p=0.001) but not with dyspnea.

Screening for persistent symptoms after the pandemic is important to help the survivors getting a better recovery in the long term.

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We present the case of a 48-year-old woman, a nurse, referred from the Internal Medicine department for evaluation of depressive symptoms and accompanying somatic presentation following COVID-19. The aim is to highlight a recently emerging condition that we are increasingly encountering in our clinics, which can complicate the diagnosis of an underlying affective disorder

Diagnosed with COVID-19, confirmed by a positive PCR test, 6 months ago following an infection in the workplace. The clinical picture consisted of mild symptoms, with a ten-day course and apparent resolution at the time of hospitalization. She returned to her work activities and gradually began to report fluctuating symptoms, including headaches, mild shortness of breath, fatigue, as well as a tingling sensation in the upper extremities, especially in the hands. Additionally, she described feelings of restlessness, depressive mood, and intense fatigue. In additional tests: (CT-Scan) there are signs of mild bilateral lower lung fibrosis.

Treatment with Duloxetine was initiated for a case of depressive symptoms with accompanying physical symptoms. The differential diagnosis considered Major Depressive Disorder, Single Episode, and Adjustment Disorder with Depressed Mood.”

We are facing a clear case of depressive clinic that may have endogenous features, if we adhere to criteria such as those in the DSM-5, as it would meet the criteria for Major Depressive Disorder, Single Episode. However, we have a clearly identified trigger, so we also need to perform a differential diagnosis, primarily with Adjustment Disorder with Depressed Mood: here, the symptoms appear within 3 months following the stressful agent (in this case, SARS-CoV-2 infection). Unlike Major Depressive Episode, once the agent has ceased, the symptoms do not persist beyond 6 months (which we do not know because the physical symptoms causing disability have not disappeared).In addition to purely psychiatric diagnoses that we are accustomed to, we must consider a new diagnostic entity that is becoming more prevalent as the pandemic progresses, namely “long-covid” or persistent COVID.These are generally middle-aged women who, several months after infection, continue to manifest a multifactorial complex of symptoms. These symptoms persist over time, not only the classical ones but also many others that can appear during the ongoing course of the disease.

Beyond the purely psychiatric diagnoses we are accustomed to, we must also consider a new diagnostic entity that is becoming more prevalent as the pandemic continues to advance: Persistent COVID or ‘long-COVID.’ Generally, this condition affects middle-aged women who, several months after contracting the virus, continue to exhibit a multifactorial complex of symptoms. The most common symptoms include fatigue/asthenia (95.91%); general discomfort (95.47%); headaches (86.53%); and low mood (86.21%)

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