Mental health risk factors during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic
Background During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, distancing measures were enforced to reduce virus spread, which likely had an impact on the overall mental health of the population. Aims To investigate the prevalence of mental health outcomes (depression, anxiety and insomnia), and associ...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2021-11-01
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| Series: | BJPsych Open |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056472421010310/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1811156901166055424 |
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| author | Henrique Prata Ribeiro André Ponte Miguel Raimundo Tiago Reis Marques |
| author_facet | Henrique Prata Ribeiro André Ponte Miguel Raimundo Tiago Reis Marques |
| author_sort | Henrique Prata Ribeiro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background
During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, distancing measures were enforced to reduce virus spread, which likely had an impact on the overall mental health of the population.
Aims
To investigate the prevalence of mental health outcomes (depression, anxiety and insomnia), and associated risk factors, during a physical distancing period imposed in the first wave of COVID-19.
Method
During the first month of Portugal's state of emergency, an online survey was created and disseminated through social media channels. Sociodemographic and clinical variables were assessed via self-reported questionnaires. Univariate linear regressions were used to identify associations between the collected variables and mental health outcomes. Multivariate regression analyses were performed to identify independent risk factors for clinical outcomes, with adjustment for potential confounders.
Results
We analysed data from 1626 participants: a significant proportion showed depression (30.2%), anxiety (53.1%) and insomnia (36.3%) symptoms. Multivariate regression models showed that being male and working from home were protective for all mental health outcomes analysed, whereas the perception of infection, being under psychiatric care and taking medication were risk factors (P < 0.05). Days in isolation and being unemployed were risk factors for depression and insomnia (P < 0.05). Younger age and being a student were risk factors for depression, whereas being a healthcare professional was protective (P < 0.05). Indirect contact with COVID-19 was a risk factor for anxiety (P < 0.05).
Conclusions
COVID-19-related distancing measures were associated with high levels of adverse mental health symptoms. Several risk factors were associated with these symptoms, which highlight the importance of identifying vulnerable groups during physical distancing periods.
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| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:58:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-29b84c42ef494b0b94ab18218a70b949 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2056-4724 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:58:53Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BJPsych Open |
| spelling | doaj.art-29b84c42ef494b0b94ab18218a70b9492023-03-09T12:29:17ZengCambridge University PressBJPsych Open2056-47242021-11-01710.1192/bjo.2021.1031Mental health risk factors during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemicHenrique Prata Ribeiro0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9511-6687André Ponte1Miguel Raimundo2Tiago Reis Marques3Faculty of Medicine, University Clinic of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, University of Lisbon, PortugalPsychiatry Department, Hospital do Divino Espírito Santo de Ponta Delgada, PortugalOftalmology Service, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Portugal; and Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, PortugalPsychiatric Imaging Group, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, UK; and Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, UKBackground During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, distancing measures were enforced to reduce virus spread, which likely had an impact on the overall mental health of the population. Aims To investigate the prevalence of mental health outcomes (depression, anxiety and insomnia), and associated risk factors, during a physical distancing period imposed in the first wave of COVID-19. Method During the first month of Portugal's state of emergency, an online survey was created and disseminated through social media channels. Sociodemographic and clinical variables were assessed via self-reported questionnaires. Univariate linear regressions were used to identify associations between the collected variables and mental health outcomes. Multivariate regression analyses were performed to identify independent risk factors for clinical outcomes, with adjustment for potential confounders. Results We analysed data from 1626 participants: a significant proportion showed depression (30.2%), anxiety (53.1%) and insomnia (36.3%) symptoms. Multivariate regression models showed that being male and working from home were protective for all mental health outcomes analysed, whereas the perception of infection, being under psychiatric care and taking medication were risk factors (P < 0.05). Days in isolation and being unemployed were risk factors for depression and insomnia (P < 0.05). Younger age and being a student were risk factors for depression, whereas being a healthcare professional was protective (P < 0.05). Indirect contact with COVID-19 was a risk factor for anxiety (P < 0.05). Conclusions COVID-19-related distancing measures were associated with high levels of adverse mental health symptoms. Several risk factors were associated with these symptoms, which highlight the importance of identifying vulnerable groups during physical distancing periods. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056472421010310/type/journal_articleCOVID-19physical distancingmental healthdepressionanxiety |
| spellingShingle | Henrique Prata Ribeiro André Ponte Miguel Raimundo Tiago Reis Marques Mental health risk factors during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic BJPsych Open COVID-19 physical distancing mental health depression anxiety |
| title | Mental health risk factors during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full | Mental health risk factors during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Mental health risk factors during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mental health risk factors during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_short | Mental health risk factors during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_sort | mental health risk factors during the first wave of the covid 19 pandemic |
| topic | COVID-19 physical distancing mental health depression anxiety |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056472421010310/type/journal_article |
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