Self-report data on mental distress indicate a deterioration of population mental health in many countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. A Norwegian epidemiological diagnostic psychiatric interview survey was conducted from January to September 2020, allowing for comparison of mental disorder and suicidal ideation prevalence from before through different pandemic periods. Prevalence of suicide deaths were compared between 2020 and 2014–2018. Participants from the Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT) in Trondheim were recruited through repeated probability sampling. Using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 5.0) (n = 2154), current prevalence of mental disorders and suicidal ideation was examined in repeated cross-sectional analyzes. Data on suicide deaths was retrieved from the Norwegian Cause of Death Registry and compared for the months March to May in 2014–2018 and 2020. Prevalence of current mental disorders decreased significantly from the pre-pandemic period (January 28th to March 11th 2020; 15•3% (95% CI 12•4–18•8)) to the first pandemic period (March 12th – May 31st; 8•7% (6•8–11•0)). Prevalences were similar between the pre-pandemic period and the interim (June 1st July 31st; 14•2% (11•4–17•5)) and second periods (August 1st-September 18th; 11•9% (9•0–15•6)). No significant differences were observed in suicidal ideation or in suicide deaths. Except for a decrease in mental disorders in the first pandemic period, the findings suggest stable levels of mental disorders, suicidal ideation and suicide deaths during the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic compared to pre-pandemic levels. Potential methodological and contextual explanations of these findings compared with findings from other studies are discussed. None.

Equity in health care across all social groups is a major goal in health care policy. Immigrants may experience more mental health problems than natives, but we do not know the extent to which they seek help from primary health care services. This study aimed to determine a) the rate immigrants use primary health care services for mental health problems compared with Norwegians and b) the association between length of stay, reason for immigration and service use among immigrants. National register data covering all residents in Norway and all consultations with primary health care services were used. We conducted logistic regression analyses to compare Norwegians’ with Polish, Swedish, German, Pakistani and Iraqi immigrants’ odds of having had a consultation for a mental health problem (P-consultation). After accounting for background variables, all immigrants groups, except Iraqi men had lower odds of a P-consultation than their Norwegian counterparts. A shorter length of stay was associated with lower odds of a P-consultation. Service use varies by country of origin and patterns are different for men and women. There was some evidence of a possible ‘healthy migrant worker’ effect among the European groups. Together with previous research, our findings however, suggest that Iraqi women and Pakistanis in particular, may experience barriers in accessing care for mental health problems.

As loneliness and social isolation emerge as pressing public health concerns, identifying effective interventions is essential. Digital solutions offer flexible, scalable, and cost-effective approaches, yet their effectiveness remains uncertain. This systematic review and meta-analysis assess the impact of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on digital interventions to reduce loneliness and social isolation. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, we searched seven databases and grey literature (2022-) and applied random-effects models to pool effect sizes by intervention type. A total of 40 RCTs involving 6062 participants were included, with one-third focusing on younger individuals. Loneliness was assessed in 36 studies, while eight examined social isolation. Interventions were classified as psychological (k = 25), social (k = 4), activity-based (k = 4), robot-based (k = 4), and social media reduction (k = 5). Psychological interventions-especially those with group or social components-along with group-based activities and robotic pets, were effective in reducing loneliness. In contrast, social contact interventions, self-guided individual activities, and conversational robots showed limited impact. Social media reduction interventions suggested potential benefits, though results were not statistically significant. The evidence base exhibited moderate to high risk of bias, heterogeneity, and limited long-term follow-up. We provide specific recommendations for future interventions and research, including leveraging digital technologies for enhanced personalization, using digital tools for signposting non-digital interventions, systematically comparing digital and non-digital versions of the same intervention, and, most critically, examining the impact of increasingly popular AI-driven and humanlike social chatbots.

The knowledge on health service use, systematic follow-up, and support for families bereaved by suicide remains scarce. This scoping review includes studies from 2010 to March 2022 that investigate the follow-up and support offered by health services, peer support services, and other resources available (e.g., internet-based resources) for families bereaved by suicide. We followed the scoping review framework provided by the Johanna Briggs Institute and performed a double-blinded screening process using Covidence. Data were extracted by four researchers and a thematic analysis was performed to summarize the results. The PRISMA Extension for Scoping reviews was used for reporting results. Of 2385 studies screened by title, 190 by abstract, and 93 by full-text reading, we included 63 original articles of which 24, 29 and 10 were quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods studies, respectively. The review shows that we have some knowledge about the need for, and experiences with, health services and support resources for immediate family members bereaved by suicide, but a lack of knowledge about their help-seeking behaviour, patient pathways, systematic follow-up, coordination between services, and long-term outcomes. We need more longitudinal observational studies of health service use and patient trajectories for people bereaved by suicide.

Background: Universities worldwide are witnessing a surge in mental health problems among students, particularly in anxiety and depression. The Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL) is a popular screening tool, but its reliability in identifying mental disorders remains debated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the criterion validity of the HSCL-25, HSCL-10, and HSCL-5 using 30-day prevalence of major depressive episode (MDE) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) from a self-administered electronic version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview, fifth version (CIDI 5.0), as the benchmark. Method: Data stem from a national survey targeting students in higher education in Norway. In a 2023 follow-up study on mental disorders, 5,568 participants completed both the HSCL-25 and the CIDI. Sex-specific optimal thresholds for all HSCL versions in relation to MDE and GAD (from CIDI) were determined using the Youden Index maximization. Results: The optimal cut-off values for detecting MDE or GAD with the HSCL-25 were 1.96 for males and 2.20 for females, displaying a good balance between sensitivity and specificity. Similar high and balanced sensitivity and specificity patterns were found for both the HSCL-10 and HSCL-5. However, all HSCL versions overestimated prevalence rates compared to the self-administered CIDI. Conclusions: All three HSCL versions showed high criterion validity. The data indicate that HSCL may be better as a screening tool than for precise estimation of MDE and GAD prevalence. For improved diagnostic accuracy, future HSCL versions should incorporate functional impairment assessment. This update would bring the HSCL into closer alignment with clinical diagnostic standards.