Background: Appropriate and adequate treatment of psychiatric conditions in the community or at first presentation to the hospital may prevent rehospitalization. Information about hospital readmission factors may help to reduce readmission rates. This scoping review sought to examine the readmission of patients to acute psychiatric hospitals to determine predictors and interventions to reduce psychiatric readmission rates. Method: A scoping review was conducted in eleven bibliographic databases to identify the relevant peer-reviewed studies. Two reviewers independently assessed full-text articles, and a screening process was undertaken to identify studies for inclusion in the review. PRISMA checklist was adopted, and with the Covidence software, 75 articles were eligible for review. Data extraction was conducted, collated, summarized, and findings reported. Result: 75 articles were analyzed. The review shows that learning disabilities, developmental delays, alcohol, drug, and substance abuse, were crucial factors that increased the risk of readmission. Greater access to mental health services in residential treatment and improved crisis intervention in congregate care settings were indicated as factors that reduce the risk of readmission. Conclusion: High rates of readmission may adversely impact healthcare spending. This study suggests a need for focused health policies to address readmission factors and improve community-based care.

Background: Over 90,000 residents had to be evacuated from Fort McMurray (FMM), Alberta, Canada due to the wildfire that engulfed the city in May 2016. Overall, about 2400 homes or 10% of the housing stock in Fort McMurray were destroyed. The fire consumed about 200,000 hectors of forest, reaching into Saskatchewan. During major disasters, communities’ infrastructure is disrupted, and psychological, economic, and environmental effects are felt for years afterwards. Objective: Five years after the wildfire disaster, this study assessed the prevalence rate of major depressive disorder (MDD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Fort McMurray residents and determined the demographic, clinical, and other risk factors of probable MDD and PTSD. Methodology: A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted to collect data through an online questionnaire administered via REDCap between 24 April and 2 June 2021. The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) was used to assess the presence of MDD symptoms in respondents. The PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-C) was used to assess likely PTSD in respondents. Descriptive, univariate, and multivariate regression analyses were employed. Results: 186 out of 249 individuals who accessed the survey link completed it (74.7% response rate). The median age of the subscribers was 42. The sample included a majority of 159 (85.5%) females; 98 (52.7%) > 40 years of age; 175 (94.1%) employed; and 132 (71%) in a relationship. The overall prevalence of MDD symptoms in our study sample was 45.0% (76). Four variables independently predicted MDD symptoms in the multivariate logistic regression model, including: unemployed (OR = 12.39; 95% CI: 1.21–126.37), have received a mental diagnosis of MDD (OR = 4.50; 95% CI: 1.57−12.92), taking sedative-hypnotics (OR = 5.27; 95% CI: 1.01−27.39), and willingness to receive mental health counseling (OR = 4.90; 95% CI: 1.95–12.31). The prevalence of likely PTSD among our respondents was 39.6% (65). Three independent variables: received a mental health depression diagnosis from a health professional (OR = 4.49; 95% CI: 1.40–14.44), would like to receive mental health counseling (OR = 4.36, 95% CI: 1.54–12.34), and have only limited or no support from family (OR = 11.01, 95% CI: 1.92–63.20) contributed significantly to the model for predicting likely PTSD among respondents while controlling the other factors in the regression model. Conclusions: According to this study, unemployment, taking sleeping pills, having a prior depression diagnosis, and the willingness to receive mental health counseling significantly increase the odds of having MDD and PTSD following wildfires. Family support may protect against the development of these conditions.

Background: Fort McMurray, a city in northern Alberta, Canada, has experienced multiple traumas in the last five years, including the 2016 wildfire, the 2020 floods, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Eighteen months after the wildfire, major depressive disorder (MDD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms were elevated among school board employees in the city. Objective: This study aimed to compare employees of the school board and other employees of Fort McMurray in respect to the impact the 2016 wildfires, the 2019 COVID pandemic, and the 2020 floods had on their mental health. Methodology: A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted in Fort McMurray from 24 April to 2 June 2021. Online questionnaires were administered through REDCap and were designed to capture socio-demographic characteristics, clinical as well as wildfire, COVID-19, and flooding-related variables. Mental health outcome variables were captured using self-reported standardized assessment scales. Data were analysed with descriptive statistics, Chi-square/Fisher’s Exact tests, and binary regression analysis. Results: Of the 249 residents who accessed the online survey, 186 completed the survey, giving a response rate of 74.7%. Of these respondents, 93.5% (174) indicated their employment status and were included in the Chi-square analysis. Most of the respondents were female (86.2%, (150)), above 40 years (53.4%, (93)), and were in a relationship (71.3%, (124)). The prevalence values for MDD, GAD and PTSD among respondents were 42.4%, 41.0, and 36.8%, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between employees of the school board and other employees with respect to likely PTSD prevalence (28% vs. 45%, respectively, p < 0.05), although with other factors controlled for, in a binary logistic regression model, employer type did not significantly predict likely PTSD. Conclusions: The study has established that likely PTSD symptoms were significantly higher in other employees compared to those of school board employees. Greater exposure to the traumatic events and a greater perceived lack of support from other employers might have contributed to the significantly higher prevalence of PTSD in other employees.

Health-care professionals in Ghana were among the prioritized high-risk groups to be administered with the initial supply of Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine procured by the Government of Ghana. This study sought to assess and identify the determinants of COVID-19 vaccine short-term side effects among health-care workers. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 654 Ghanaian healthcare workers between 16^th March and 5^th May 2021. The study included health-care workers in registered health settings, who had been vaccinated against COVID-19 and consented to participate in the survey. Descriptive statistics, binary and multivariable logistic regression analyses were executed using SPSS version 22 at p < .05. The findings revealed that, 528 (80.7%) of the participants experienced adverse reactions, which lasted between 0 and 2 days among, 347 (53.1%) of the study participants. The most reported adverse reactions were general body weakness, 434 (32.0%), headache 371 (27.3%), and fever, 257 (19.1%). Health workers aged 35–39 and 40–44 years had lower odds of adverse reactions compared with those aged 25–29 years (aOR: 0.34, 95% C.I. 0.186,0.621, p < .001) and (aOR: 0.42, 95% C.I. 0.201,0.890, p = .023). Taking analgesics before vaccination decreased the likelihood of adverse reactions (aOR: 0.28, 95% C.I. 0.185,0.427, p < .001). High prevalence of adverse reactions was found among the healthcare workers, however short-lived. The most reported systemic adverse reactions were general body weakness, headache, and fever. We recommend intensification of campaigns on COVID-19 vaccines and their associated adverse effects to avoid the negative implication on uptake among the healthcare workers and the general population.

Background: The Fort McMurray wildfire of 3 May 2016 was one of the most devastating natural disasters in Canadian history. Although resilience plays a crucial role in the daily functioning of individuals by acting as a protective shield that lessens the impact of disasters on their mental well-being, to date little is known about the long-term impact of wildfires on resilience and associated predictors of low resilience. Objectives: The objective of the study was to assess the prevalence and predictors of resilience among residents of Fort McMurray five years after the wildfires. Method: This was a quantitative cross-sectional study. A self-administered online survey which included standardized rating scales for resilience (BRS), anxiety (GAD-7), depression (PHQ-9), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)(PCL-C) was used to determine the prevalence of resilience as well as its demographic, clinical, and wildfire-related predictors. The data were collected between 24 April and 2 June 2021 and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 using univariate analysis with a chi-squared test and binary logistic regression analysis. Results: A total of 186 residents completed the survey out of 249 who accessed the online survey, producing a response rate of 74.7%. Most of the respondents were females (85.5%, 159), above 40 years of age (81.6%, 80), employed (94.1%, 175), and in a relationship (71%, 132). Two variables—having had PTSD symptoms (OR = 2.85; 95% CI: 1.06–7.63), and age—were significant predictors of low resilience in our study. The prevalence of low resilience in our sample was 37.4%. Conclusions: Our results suggest that age and the presence of PTSD symptoms were the independent significant risk factors associated with low resilience five years after the Fort McMurray wildfire disaster. Further research is needed to enhance understanding of the pathways to resilience post-disaster to identify the robust predictors and provide appropriate interventions to the most vulnerable individuals and communities.

Background: The 2020 Fort McMurray (FMM) and area flood caused more than $228 million in insured damage, affected over 1200 structures, and more than 13,000 people were evacuated. Objective: This study sought to determine the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-like symptoms and the risk predictors among the population of FMM one year after the 2020 flooding. Methods: An online quantitative cross-sectional survey was distributed to residents of FMM via REDCap between 24 April to 2 June 2021 to collect sociodemographic, clinical, and flood-related information. The PTSD checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-C) was used to assess likely PTSD among respondents. Results: 186 of 249 respondents completed all essential self-assessment questionnaires in the analysis, yielding a response rate of 74.7%. The prevalence of likely PTSD was 39.6% (65). Respondents with a history of depression were more likely to develop PTSD symptoms (OR = 5.71; 95% CI: 1.68–19.36). Similarly, responders with limited and no family support after the disaster were more prone to report PTSD symptoms ((OR = 2.87; 95% CI: 1.02–8.05) and (OR = 2.87; 95% CI: 1.06–7.74), respectively). Conclusions: Our research indicated that history of depression and the need for mental health counseling significantly increased the risk of developing PTSD symptoms following flooding; family support is protective. Further studies are needed to explore the relations between the need to receive counseling and presenting with likely PTSD symptoms.