Longitudinal Trends and Risk Factors for Depressed Mood Among Canadian Adults During the First Wave of COVID-19
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has raised serious concerns about the mental health impact of people directed and indirectly affected by the virus. Because this is a rapidly evolving situation, our goal was to explore potential risk factors and trends in feelings of anxiety and depression among th...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.666261/full |
| _version_ | 1818576638943690752 |
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| author | Gustavo S. Betini John P. Hirdes Rhéda Adekpedjou Christopher M. Perlman Nathan Huculak Paul Hébert |
| author_facet | Gustavo S. Betini John P. Hirdes Rhéda Adekpedjou Christopher M. Perlman Nathan Huculak Paul Hébert |
| author_sort | Gustavo S. Betini |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has raised serious concerns about the mental health impact of people directed and indirectly affected by the virus. Because this is a rapidly evolving situation, our goal was to explore potential risk factors and trends in feelings of anxiety and depression among the general population in Canada over the first 5 months of the pandemic.Methods: We completed on-line surveys of 3,127 unique individuals representative of the Canadian general population at 4 discreet periods every 6 weeks from April 15th to July 28th 2020. We assessed feelings of anxiety, depression and loss of interest with the interRAI self-reported mood scale using a multivariable generalized estimating equation model to examine factors associated with having a 5+ score on the scale (indicating potentially depressed mood). We also investigated potential longitudinal trends to examine temporal variation in mood scores.Results: More than 30% of participants felt highly anxious, depressed, and disinterested in everyday activities in the first survey (April), but this number decreased to about 20% over 4 months. Feeling lonely, younger age, feeling overwhelmed by one's health needs, having financial concerns, and living outside of Québec were significantly associated with depressed mood.Interpretation: The prevalence of depressed mood during the pandemic was between 2 and 3 times the pre-pandemic rate (especially among young people), but it can change rapidly in response to social changes. Thus, monitoring of psychological distress among vulnerable groups that may benefit from additional supports should be a priority. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T06:17:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a34daace168247519c45289ed5e689b4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T06:17:12Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-a34daace168247519c45289ed5e689b42022-12-21T22:41:14ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402021-07-011210.3389/fpsyt.2021.666261666261Longitudinal Trends and Risk Factors for Depressed Mood Among Canadian Adults During the First Wave of COVID-19Gustavo S. Betini0John P. Hirdes1Rhéda Adekpedjou2Christopher M. Perlman3Nathan Huculak4Paul Hébert5School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, CanadaSchool of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, CanadaCentre de Recherche CHUM (Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal), Montréal, QC, CanadaSchool of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, CanadaCanadian Red Cross, Montreal, QC, CanadaDepartment of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Centre de Recherche CHUM (Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal), Montréal, QC, CanadaBackground: The COVID-19 pandemic has raised serious concerns about the mental health impact of people directed and indirectly affected by the virus. Because this is a rapidly evolving situation, our goal was to explore potential risk factors and trends in feelings of anxiety and depression among the general population in Canada over the first 5 months of the pandemic.Methods: We completed on-line surveys of 3,127 unique individuals representative of the Canadian general population at 4 discreet periods every 6 weeks from April 15th to July 28th 2020. We assessed feelings of anxiety, depression and loss of interest with the interRAI self-reported mood scale using a multivariable generalized estimating equation model to examine factors associated with having a 5+ score on the scale (indicating potentially depressed mood). We also investigated potential longitudinal trends to examine temporal variation in mood scores.Results: More than 30% of participants felt highly anxious, depressed, and disinterested in everyday activities in the first survey (April), but this number decreased to about 20% over 4 months. Feeling lonely, younger age, feeling overwhelmed by one's health needs, having financial concerns, and living outside of Québec were significantly associated with depressed mood.Interpretation: The prevalence of depressed mood during the pandemic was between 2 and 3 times the pre-pandemic rate (especially among young people), but it can change rapidly in response to social changes. Thus, monitoring of psychological distress among vulnerable groups that may benefit from additional supports should be a priority.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.666261/fullmental health caredepression moodanxietygeneral populationcoronavirus–COVID-19 |
| spellingShingle | Gustavo S. Betini John P. Hirdes Rhéda Adekpedjou Christopher M. Perlman Nathan Huculak Paul Hébert Longitudinal Trends and Risk Factors for Depressed Mood Among Canadian Adults During the First Wave of COVID-19 Frontiers in Psychiatry mental health care depression mood anxiety general population coronavirus–COVID-19 |
| title | Longitudinal Trends and Risk Factors for Depressed Mood Among Canadian Adults During the First Wave of COVID-19 |
| title_full | Longitudinal Trends and Risk Factors for Depressed Mood Among Canadian Adults During the First Wave of COVID-19 |
| title_fullStr | Longitudinal Trends and Risk Factors for Depressed Mood Among Canadian Adults During the First Wave of COVID-19 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Longitudinal Trends and Risk Factors for Depressed Mood Among Canadian Adults During the First Wave of COVID-19 |
| title_short | Longitudinal Trends and Risk Factors for Depressed Mood Among Canadian Adults During the First Wave of COVID-19 |
| title_sort | longitudinal trends and risk factors for depressed mood among canadian adults during the first wave of covid 19 |
| topic | mental health care depression mood anxiety general population coronavirus–COVID-19 |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.666261/full |
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