Individuals diagnosed with Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) often experience recurring and painful symptoms, which can significantly affect their daily life, while hospitalization and/or surgery may be needed when they present complications. During the course of the disease, IBD patients may experience feelings of anxiety and/or depression and present decreased well-being.

The aim of the present study was to investigate depression, anxiety, loneliness, well-being and self-esteem in patients with IBD in comparison to individuals without IBD (healthy controls), while taking into consideration demographic and clinical parameters

The study included 164 participants and in particular 98 patients with IBD and 66 healthy controls matched for sex and age. All participants completed Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) to assess depression and anxiety, UCLA Loneliness Scale to assess feelings of loneliness, Mental Health Continuum Short Form (MHC-SF) to assess well-being and Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (RSES) to assess self-esteem, while socio-demographic and clinical data were additionally recorded.

According to the results, statistically significant differences were observed in all psychological parameters with IBD patients presenting higher depression (p<0.001), higher anxiety (p=0.002), higher loneliness (p=0.002), lower well-being (p=0.019) and lower self-esteem (p<0.001) compared to healthy controls. Among IBD patients, higher well-being was independently associated with higher self-esteem and lower anxiety, but not with depression, loneliness or patients’ sex and age.

The findings highlight the importance of investigating and timely detecting psychological symptoms among patients with IBD, with a view to providing them an integrative physical and mental health care.

None Declared

As a result of the notable progress in HIV / AIDS prevention and treatment globally, the HIV epidemic is considered controlled to the extent that individuals living with HIV manage to have a similar life expectancy to HIV-negative individuals and a good level of health. However, the “epidemic” related to the stigma of HIV-positive individuals, particularly of Men who have Sex with Men (MSM), still remains an issue, while it has been associated with a profound negative impact on individuals’ mental health.

The present study aimed to compare anxiety, depression, social support, loneliness, and psychological resilience between MSM with and without HIV. Furthermore, the study investigated the correlates of HIV related stigma in MSM with HIV.

The sample of the study comprised a total of 139 adult MSM. According to their self-report 84 individuals were HIV-negative (age in years: M = 24.58, SD = 5.55), while the remaining 55 individuals were HIV-positive (age in years: M = 38.99, SD = 10.95). Furthermore, the majority of individuals in both groups reported Greek nationality. Participants completed a questionnaire on socio-demographic characteristics, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale to assess anxiety and depression, the UCLA Loneliness Scale to measure loneliness, the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) to evaluate psychological resilience, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) to assess social support. HIV-positive individuals additionally completed the HIV Stigma Scale-Brief Version, a brief scale measuring social stigma related to HIV.

According to the findings, MSM with and without HIV did not differ in anxiety (p = 0.908), depression (p = 0.904), social support (p = 0.657), loneliness (p = 0.086), and psychological resilience (p = 0.600). Furthermore, it emerged that among HIV-positive MSM, stigma was positively associated with anxiety (r = 0.479, p < 0.001), depression (r = 0.479, p < 0.001), and loneliness (r = 0.532, p = 0.001), while the correlation was negative with social support (r = -0.456, p < 0.001) and resilience (r = -0.400, p < 0.003). No significant association was found between stigma and age in HIV-positive individuals (r = 0.099, p = 0.474).

In conclusion, the findings of this study identified possible risk factors as well as protective factors for the mental health of HIV-positive MSM. As long as stigma associated with HIV continues to be a risk factor for the development of psychosocial problems in those living with HIV, it is advisable for both policymakers and the research community to take more proactive steps in order to offer the necessary support and attention to those who are living with HIV and experiencing multiple forms of stigma.

None Declared

Decision-making is a complex process, and little is known about the various elements that comprise it. Recent literature on neurocognitive deficits in patients with a history of suicidality has highlighted that impaired (non-adaptive) decision-making is one of the most consistent deficits in individuals with a history of suicidality.

This study aims to systematically review the available evidence on decision- making capacity in depressed patients with a history of suicide attempts.

A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Psycnet, Elsevier and Scopus with additional searching through bibliographic references. This search was performed until the 31st of August 2022 and provided information on decision-making capacity in relation to suicidality and depression.

The literature review provided 377 references, the titles and abstracts of which were reviewed for relevance to this study and the entry criteria set. The review of the title and abstract of these studies resulted in 50 articles that were potentially relevant to the study topic and a further review was then conducted to re-examine the selected studies and articles, which resulted in the final selection of 20 studies. The outcome measure used by the majority of studies as a measure of decision-making ability was the IOWA Gambling Task (IGT), in which the performance of patients with a history of depression and self-harm in most studies was significantly worse than that of healthy controls. Some methodological characteristics of the studies included in this review complicated the interpretation of the results, such as the sample size and characteristics of each study.

Decision-making ability shows alterations in patients with a history of suicidality and depression, confirming the findings of previous studies. Furthermore, an impaired or dysfunctional decision-making ability may potentially be a predictor of suicidal behaviour in patients with depression, a possibility that could be a reason for further research in this field, both in the context of investigating predictors and in developing appropriate treatments for these patients.

None Declared

The investigation of alcohol use and its correlates during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is of utmost importance.

This study aimed to examine alcohol use during COVID-19 pandemic, while nationwide lockdowns were in effect in Greece, and its relationship with demographic, clinical, and psychosocial factors.

The study included 378 individuals (225 women) with a mean age of 30.22 years who completed an online questionnaire during the third wave of the pandemic while restriction measures were in effect (March to April 2021). Participants completed Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21), Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory (Brief-COPE) and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS).

According to the results, alcohol use was negatively associated with COVID-19 fear (p = 0.011), and positively associated with anxiety (p = 0.024), depression (p<0.001) and avoidance-focused coping strategies (p = 0.003). Furthermore, perceived social support emerged as a significant protective factor against alcohol use. Men presented higher alcohol use levels compared to women (p = 0.002). Additionally, individuals identified as problematic users, based on AUDIT scores, displayed increased levels of anxiety (p = 0.028) and depression (p = 0.017) and used avoidance-focused coping strategies to a greater extent (p<0.001). Of note, higher alcohol use was observed in participants who lived alone (p<0.001) and in those whose work status had changed during the pandemic (p = 0.004).

Our findings highlight the importance of identifying individuals with problematic alcohol use, as well as recognizing crucial psychosocial factors related to alcohol use especially during the pandemic.

None Declared

There is accumulating evidence that SARS-CoV-2 infection, apart from physical complications, can cause a variety of symptoms related to mental health, either during the acute phase of the infection or following the resolution of acute COVID-19 (i.e., long-COVID).

To investigate the demographic and clinical characteristics of a sample of hospitalized patients with COVID-19.

Data were collected from 1 January 2021 to 31 May 2022. In particular, clinical and demographic characteristics of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 at the “Attikon” University General Hospital and who were referred for assessment to the Consultation Liaison Psychiatry unit were collected and analyzed.

During the study period, 107 patients, 66 men (62%) and 41 women (38%) with a mean age of 63 years, with COVID-19 were referred to the Consultation Liaison Psychiatry unit for evaluation. Among them, 58 (54.6%) had a previous psychiatric history, while 49 (45.4%) were assessed for the first time by a mental health professional. The most frequent psychiatric manifestations included anxiety manifestations [38 patients (36%)], delirium [37 patients (35%)] and depressive manifestations [15 patients (14%)].

The description of demographic and clinical characteristics of hospitalized COVID-19 patients with concurrent psychiatric manifestations highlights the importance of early clinical detection of psychiatric comorbidity by physicians with a view to ensuring that patients’ needs are supported in an integrated, holistic and patient-centric manner.

None Declared

There is evidence that early traumatic experiences may have a negative impact on critical components of psychosocial adjustment, while they may also adversely affect mental health during adulthood.

The aim this study was to investigate the association of early traumatic experiences and in particular sexual abuse with well-being, self-esteem, resilience and close relationships during adulthood.

The study included 499 individuals (76.2% women), with a mean age of 24.2 years. Participants completed Early Trauma Inventory-Short form for early traumatic experiences’ assessment, Brief Resilience Scale for resilience evaluation, Mental Health Continuum-Short Form to assess well-being and Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised scale for adult romantic attachment assessment.

The majority of participants (98.2%) responded positively to at least one statement related to early traumatic experiences while 235 individuals (47.1%) reported that they had experienced sexual abuse. Furthermore, individuals who had experienced sexual abuse displayed lower levels of well-being (p<0.001), self-esteem (p<0.001) and resilience (p<0.001), but higher levels of anxious adult attachment (p<0.001) compared to individuals without such traumatic experiences.

The findings of the present study highlight the importance of timely detection and holistic and integrated management of psychological needs of individuals who have experienced early traumatic experiences and especially sexual abuse.

None Declared

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic progressive disease, which has been associated with various mental and physical health problems, including sexual disorders. However, especially among female patients the potential effects of diabetes on sexual functioning have been understudied.

The aim of this study was to investigate the perceived sexual functioning in patients with diabetes mellitus compared to a group of healthy controls, as well as to explore its possible association with depression, anxiety, self-esteem, well-being and adult romantic attachement.

The study included 125 patients with diabetes and an equal number of healthy controls. All participants completed the following psychometric scales: Experiences in Close Relationships- Revised (ECR-R), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE), Mental Health Continuum Short Form (MHC-SF), as well as Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) for female and male participants, respectively.

The results did not reveal a significant relationship between diabetes and sexual functioning, as no statistically significant differences emerged between patients and healthy controls neither among men nor women. However, in patients with diabetes, a positive correlation was found between perceived sexual dysfunction and depression, anxiety, and avoidant and anxious attachment, as well as a negative correlation with self-esteem and well-being.

The findings highlight the importance of investigating sexual functioning among individuals with diabetes mellitus, especially women, as well as its relationship with crucial psychological factors.

None Declared

Binge eating behaviors are associated with psychological, social, and biological factors, while it is suggested that they may be triggered by negative emotions, including depression and anxiety, and provide relief from them, which in turn may lead to reinforcement of such behaviors.

This study aimed to examine the eating habits and in particular the binge eating behaviors of a sample of adults during the COVID-19 pandemic, an unprecedented challenge for public health and communities worldwide with multi-level consequences on people’s lives.

The sample consisted of 196 individuals residing in Greece aged 18 to 64 years (76.5% women), who completed an anonymous questionnaire from June to July 2021. This included the following psychometric instruments: Fear of COVID-19 Scale to assess the fear related to COVID-19, Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale to assess self-esteem, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 to assess anxiety, depression and stress, Binge Eating Scale to assess binge eating behaviors, UCLA Loneliness Scale for the evaluation of the perceived feeling of loneliness and Reflective Functioning Questionnaire for the assessment of reflective functioning (i.e., the ability to understand human behavior in terms of underlying mental states).

The majority of participants (86.7%) reported that during the pandemic their diet was less healthy than before the pandemic onset, while almost half (46.4%) of the participants stated that they had experiences an episode of binge eating during the past 6 months, and 36.2% that they had used self-induced vomiting in order to control their weight. Of note, the results of a multiple regression analysis revealed that higher levels of fear of the pandemic as well as of depression were independently associated with higher binge eating, with women presenting higher mean scores in the Binge Eating Scale than men. Conversely, higher self-esteem appeared to be independently associated with lower binge eating levels, thus acting as a protective factor, whereas the remaining psychometric factors were not found statistically significantly related.

In conclusion, the findings of the present study highlight the importance of identifying dysfunctional eating behaviors and related psychological factors that may potentially act as risk or protective factors, especially during the pandemic.

None Declared

The prevalence and associated factors related to psychotic symptoms in older adults are understudied. The objectives were to assess the prevalence, incidence and factors associated with psychotic symptoms in a representative Greek sample of community living older adults.

This study includes older adults aged ≥ 65 years participating in the Hellenic Longitudinal Investigation of Aging and Diet. The analysis is based on n=1,904 participants with available data at baseline and n=947 participants at the 3-year follow-up. The presence of delusions and hallucinations in the past month was assessed on the grounds of the 17 symptoms of the Columbia University Scale for Psychopathology in Alzheimer's Disease and of the 14 symptoms of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire. An affirmative answer to any of these 31 symptoms defined the presence of psychotic symptoms. A comprehensive neuropsychological assessment for probable diagnosis of dementia and physical comorbidity was carried out by neurologists. Study factors included age, education, marital status, widowed in the past year, occupation, hearing impairment and number of chronic comorbidities. Penalized logistic regression analyses were carried out to assess the socio-demographic and clinical factors associated with the prevalence and incidence of psychotic symptoms.

The past-month prevalence of any psychotic symptom was 1.9% and 1.0% when excluding cases of dementia. The prevalence of any delusion and hallucination was 1.5% and 0.7%, and 0.8% and 0.3% when excluding cases with dementia. Paranoid delusions were the most prevalent. The incidence at the follow-up of any psychotic symptom was 2.1% and 1.3% when excluding dementia. Individuals not married had twice the odds and, farmers/breeders had three times the odds than public servants/teachers/executives of experiencing psychotic symptoms. Hearing impairment and the number of comorbidities increased the odds of the presence of psychotic symptoms. In addition to age and recent widowhood, these factors remained significantly associated with the presence of psychotic symptoms in cases without dementia.

Dementia was not related to over half of the cases observed with psychotic symptoms. Paranoid delusions were the most prevalent. Socio-economic and health status factors are significant predictors of psychotic symptoms.

Increased coexistence of psychiatric symptoms in patients with alcohol abuse/addiction is highlighted in the literature. Equally high is the coexistence of physical illnesses due to the harmful effects of alcohol.

To record the profile and the characteristics of individuals with psychiatric/somatic co-morbidity who attend the psychiatric emergency department/(PED) of the largest psychiatric hospital in Greece.

A total of 1058 individuals, with a mean age of 44.4 years, were identified having alcohol problems in a five-year time period (2010–2015) in the context of the PED, while the majority of them was found to have psychiatric co-morbidity. The most common diagnosis was psychotic syndromes (24.2%), followed by affective (23.8%), personality (12.5%), and somatoform and anxiety disorders (6.3%). About 3% of the sample presented acute alcohol poisoning or severe withdrawal symptoms, coexistence with severe somatic disease and organic mental disorders. More than a third (37%) of them had to be hospitalized, while the involuntary hospitalization rates (21%) were higher than the voluntary ones (16%). Finally, 13.65% suffered from co-morbid somatic diseases with need of immediate emergency and hospital care.

The abuse and/or dependence of alcohol are largely associated with the coexistence of psychiatric and physical diseases. The psychiatric and physical co-morbidity, as regards attendance and hospitalization–involuntary and voluntary–, present a higher rate in men (86%) and mainly affects people of productive age. Additional data are needed to explore detailed factors that could contribute to a better design of more appropriate services for patients with alcohol use disorders.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.