1 in 3 adults anxious, depressed due to COVID-19: study

Washington: A new study has found that one in three adults, especially young adults, women and those of lower socioeconomic status experience psychological distress from COVID-19. Researchers at Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, reported in the journal “ PLOS ONE ” that COVID-19 continues to pose serious threats to public health across the world and that interventions such as lockdowns, quarantine and social distancing have a negative impact on the mental well-being of populations.

The pandemic has increased the burden of psychological distress, including anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress and insomnia. However, the factors associated with an increased susceptibility to psychological distress in adults in the general population during COVID-19 are not yet well understood.

“Understanding these factors is crucial in designing prevention programs and planning mental health resources during the rapidly evolving COVID-19 epidemic,” explained Professor Tazeen Jafar of the Services and Research Program. health systems from Duke-NUS, who led the study. “These factors could be used to identify populations at high risk for psychological distress so that they can be offered targeted interventions remotely and in person,” added Duke-NUS.

Professor Jafar and his team performed a meta-analysis of 68 studies conducted during the pandemic, involving 288,830 participants from 19 countries, to assess risk factors associated with anxiety and depression in the general population. They found that among those most affected by anxiety or depression related to COVID-19, women, young adults, people of lower socioeconomic status, those living in rural areas and those with high risk of COVID-19 infection were more likely to experience psychological distress. The finding that women were more likely to suffer from psychological distress than men is consistent with other global studies that have found that anxiety and depression are more common in women.

“Women’s lower social status and less preferential access to health care compared to men could be responsible for the exaggerated undesirable psychosocial impact on women,” the researchers suggested. “So awareness programs for mental health services must proactively target women.”

Young adults 35 and under were more likely to experience psychological distress than those over 35. Although the reasons are not clear, previous studies have suggested that this may be due to better access by younger people. to information on COVID-19 through the media. This current study also confirmed that longer media exposure was associated with a higher likelihood of anxiety and depression. Other factors associated with psychological distress include rural life; lower education, low income, or unemployment; and be at high risk for COVID-19 infection. However, having stronger family and social support and using positive coping strategies have been shown to reduce the risk of psychological distress.

“The general public and healthcare professionals need to be aware of the high burden of psychological distress during the pandemic as well as education on coping strategies,” said Professor Jafar. “Patients should be encouraged to seek help and access mental health counseling services with appropriate referrals.

Professor Patrick Casey, Senior Associate Dean for Research at Duke-NUS, commented: “Even with the tremendous strides made on the vaccine front, the world has realized that the COVID-19 pandemic will be with us. for the long term. Professor Jafar’s study provides valuable insight into the psychological toll of the pandemic on populations around the world and highlights specific groups that could benefit from additional support, whether from their family or a provider. health care. “