Saudi Arabia Mental Health Surveillance System (MHSS): mental health trends amid COVID-19 and comparison with pre-COVID-19 trends
Background: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on populations’ mental health has started to emerge. Objectives: To describe the mental health trends of the risk of major depressive disorder (MDD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) between May and August 2020. It also compares the results with p...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2021-01-01
|
| Series: | European Journal of Psychotraumatology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2021.1875642 |
| _version_ | 1797844567884562432 |
|---|---|
| author | Nasser F. BinDhim Nora A. Althumiri Mada H. Basyouni Asem A. Alageel Suliman Alghnam Ada M. Al-Qunaibet Rasha A. Almubarak Shahla Aldhukair Yasser Ad-Dab’bagh |
| author_facet | Nasser F. BinDhim Nora A. Althumiri Mada H. Basyouni Asem A. Alageel Suliman Alghnam Ada M. Al-Qunaibet Rasha A. Almubarak Shahla Aldhukair Yasser Ad-Dab’bagh |
| author_sort | Nasser F. BinDhim |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on populations’ mental health has started to emerge. Objectives: To describe the mental health trends of the risk of major depressive disorder (MDD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) between May and August 2020. It also compares the results with pre-COVID-19 results and identifies risk factors associated with increased likelihood of being at risk of MDD and GAD. Method: This study utilizes repeated cross-sectional design, at national-level coverage of mental health screenings via computer-assisted phone interviews conducted in four waves monthly (between May and August 2020). Arabic-speaking adults from Saudi Arabia were recruited via a random phone list. The questionnaire includes the Arabic version of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and the General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7). Pre-COVID-19 comparison was done using the PHQ-2 score to allow for comparison with a previous and similar national study conducted in 2018. Results: Across the four waves, 16,513 participants completed the interviews, with an overall response rate of 81.3%. The weighted national prevalence of people at risk of MDD was 14.9% overall, and 13.8%, 13.6%, 16.8%, and 15.3% in Waves 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. The weighted national prevalence of people at risk of GAD was 11.4%, overall, and 10.9%, 10.7%, 12.4%, and 11.7% in Waves 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. The weighted national proportion of individuals who were at risk of MDD and GAD at the same time was 7.4% overall. The risk of MDD on PHQ-2 increased by 71.2%, from 12.5% in 2018 to 21.4% in 2020. Conclusions: The risks of MDD and GAD in this study are relatively high. These results can help decision makers to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the population’s mental health and the most-impacted subgroups. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T17:24:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fc1b77695e1f45e080884dff0f4f9b3b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2000-8066 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T17:24:25Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of Psychotraumatology |
| spelling | doaj.art-fc1b77695e1f45e080884dff0f4f9b3b2023-04-18T14:59:09ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEuropean Journal of Psychotraumatology2000-80662021-01-0112110.1080/20008198.2021.18756421875642Saudi Arabia Mental Health Surveillance System (MHSS): mental health trends amid COVID-19 and comparison with pre-COVID-19 trendsNasser F. BinDhim0Nora A. Althumiri1Mada H. Basyouni2Asem A. Alageel3Suliman Alghnam4Ada M. Al-Qunaibet5Rasha A. Almubarak6Shahla Aldhukair7Yasser Ad-Dab’bagh8Sharik Association for Health ResearchSharik Association for Health ResearchSharik Association for Health ResearchAl-Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU)King Abdulah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC)The National Center for Disease Prevention and Control (Weqaya)Sharik Association for Health ResearchSaudi Health CouncilMinistry of HealthBackground: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on populations’ mental health has started to emerge. Objectives: To describe the mental health trends of the risk of major depressive disorder (MDD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) between May and August 2020. It also compares the results with pre-COVID-19 results and identifies risk factors associated with increased likelihood of being at risk of MDD and GAD. Method: This study utilizes repeated cross-sectional design, at national-level coverage of mental health screenings via computer-assisted phone interviews conducted in four waves monthly (between May and August 2020). Arabic-speaking adults from Saudi Arabia were recruited via a random phone list. The questionnaire includes the Arabic version of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and the General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7). Pre-COVID-19 comparison was done using the PHQ-2 score to allow for comparison with a previous and similar national study conducted in 2018. Results: Across the four waves, 16,513 participants completed the interviews, with an overall response rate of 81.3%. The weighted national prevalence of people at risk of MDD was 14.9% overall, and 13.8%, 13.6%, 16.8%, and 15.3% in Waves 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. The weighted national prevalence of people at risk of GAD was 11.4%, overall, and 10.9%, 10.7%, 12.4%, and 11.7% in Waves 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. The weighted national proportion of individuals who were at risk of MDD and GAD at the same time was 7.4% overall. The risk of MDD on PHQ-2 increased by 71.2%, from 12.5% in 2018 to 21.4% in 2020. Conclusions: The risks of MDD and GAD in this study are relatively high. These results can help decision makers to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the population’s mental health and the most-impacted subgroups.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2021.1875642mental healthdepressionanxietyscreeningsurveillancecovid-19 |
| spellingShingle | Nasser F. BinDhim Nora A. Althumiri Mada H. Basyouni Asem A. Alageel Suliman Alghnam Ada M. Al-Qunaibet Rasha A. Almubarak Shahla Aldhukair Yasser Ad-Dab’bagh Saudi Arabia Mental Health Surveillance System (MHSS): mental health trends amid COVID-19 and comparison with pre-COVID-19 trends European Journal of Psychotraumatology mental health depression anxiety screening surveillance covid-19 |
| title | Saudi Arabia Mental Health Surveillance System (MHSS): mental health trends amid COVID-19 and comparison with pre-COVID-19 trends |
| title_full | Saudi Arabia Mental Health Surveillance System (MHSS): mental health trends amid COVID-19 and comparison with pre-COVID-19 trends |
| title_fullStr | Saudi Arabia Mental Health Surveillance System (MHSS): mental health trends amid COVID-19 and comparison with pre-COVID-19 trends |
| title_full_unstemmed | Saudi Arabia Mental Health Surveillance System (MHSS): mental health trends amid COVID-19 and comparison with pre-COVID-19 trends |
| title_short | Saudi Arabia Mental Health Surveillance System (MHSS): mental health trends amid COVID-19 and comparison with pre-COVID-19 trends |
| title_sort | saudi arabia mental health surveillance system mhss mental health trends amid covid 19 and comparison with pre covid 19 trends |
| topic | mental health depression anxiety screening surveillance covid-19 |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2021.1875642 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nasserfbindhim saudiarabiamentalhealthsurveillancesystemmhssmentalhealthtrendsamidcovid19andcomparisonwithprecovid19trends AT noraaalthumiri saudiarabiamentalhealthsurveillancesystemmhssmentalhealthtrendsamidcovid19andcomparisonwithprecovid19trends AT madahbasyouni saudiarabiamentalhealthsurveillancesystemmhssmentalhealthtrendsamidcovid19andcomparisonwithprecovid19trends AT asemaalageel saudiarabiamentalhealthsurveillancesystemmhssmentalhealthtrendsamidcovid19andcomparisonwithprecovid19trends AT sulimanalghnam saudiarabiamentalhealthsurveillancesystemmhssmentalhealthtrendsamidcovid19andcomparisonwithprecovid19trends AT adamalqunaibet saudiarabiamentalhealthsurveillancesystemmhssmentalhealthtrendsamidcovid19andcomparisonwithprecovid19trends AT rashaaalmubarak saudiarabiamentalhealthsurveillancesystemmhssmentalhealthtrendsamidcovid19andcomparisonwithprecovid19trends AT shahlaaldhukair saudiarabiamentalhealthsurveillancesystemmhssmentalhealthtrendsamidcovid19andcomparisonwithprecovid19trends AT yasseraddabbagh saudiarabiamentalhealthsurveillancesystemmhssmentalhealthtrendsamidcovid19andcomparisonwithprecovid19trends |