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Background There is a lack of data concerning impact of COVID-19 among older adults (OA) living at long-term care (LTC) centers. This study investigated how COVID-19 has affected this population. The prevalence of and risk factors for post-traumatic stress, depression, and anxiety were investigated. Methods A semi-structured interview to determine the effect of COVID-19 was conducted to 200 OA at two government LTC centers. The 17-item Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist, the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire, and the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale were used to evaluate post-traumatic stress, depression, and anxiety, respectively. Results Most OA reported moderate or severe impact of COVID-19. The most impacted area was financial due to decreased support from outside the center. Seventy percent of OA reported no or mild psychological stress from COVID-19; however, 5.5% had post-traumatic stress, 7.0% had depression, and 12.0% had anxiety. Higher psychological stress from COVID-19 and having respiratory tract infection symptoms were independently associated with post-traumatic stress, depression, and anxiety. Receiving COVID-19 news via social media was independently associated with post-traumatic stress and depression. Having psychiatric comorbidity was independently associated with depression. Conclusions OA living in LTC centers reported moderate or severe impact from COVID-19, especially financial, but relatively low psychological stress. Psychological stress from COVID-19, having respiratory tract infection symptoms, and receiving COVID-19 news via social media were risk factors for psychological disorders. Limitations The data reflected the post-outbreak period. There is limitation in the generalizability of the results for other countries with different health care systems.

This study aimed to compare drug adherence behaviors during the sixth week between patients with first diagnosed major depressive disorder who received the Drug Adherence Enhancement Program and those who received only the usual care. A randomized clinical trial, post-test only design was conducted in the outpatient-unit of a medical school hospital in Bangkok, Thailand. The experimental and control groups consisted of 30 and 26 participants respectively. Participants in the experimental group exhibited significantly higher drug adherence behaviors than the control group. This is important for nurses in promoting adherence to antidepressant drugs for patients with first diagnosed major depressive disorder.

Studies on maltreatment of children born to methamphetamine abusing mothers are lacking. This cross-sectional study examined child maltreatment among children born at Siriraj Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand, to mothers who used methamphetamines during pregnancy. During the study period between July 2011 and January 2012, 34 caretakers of these children were interviewed using the ISPCAN Child Abuse Screening Tool-Parent Version (ICAST-P) to assess their disciplinary actions. The associations between child’s and caretaker’s characteristics and child maltreatment behaviors were analyzed. More than 90% of caretakers were female with age ranging from 18 to 35 years and about 60% were biological mothers. The children’s age ranged from 1 to 9 years. Disciplinary acts and child rearing practices that were considered to be child maltreatment behaviors were reported as follows: psychological discipline 82.4%, physical discipline 79.4%, and neglect 29.4%. No associations between the child’s or the caretaker’s characteristics and child maltreatment behaviors were found. In conclusion, child maltreatment behaviors were frequent in caretakers of children born to mothers who used methamphetamine during pregnancy. Supervision on child rearing and careful monitoring are needed for this population.