How have mental health outcomes in the Italian general population changed 14 months after the COVID-19 pandemic?

In a recent study published in Affective Disorder Journal, A team of Italian researchers found changes in mental health outcomes such as anxiety, depression and stress-related problems in the general population 14 months after the outbreak of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. was investigated.

Background

Apart from the unprecedented number of deaths and enormous medical burden unleashed by the COVID-19 pandemic, another serious impact from the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak is the It was reaching out to the mental health of people around the world. Fear of COVID-19 and fear of contracting the virus have caused much psychological distress, while mitigation of the disease, including social distancing and lockdowns, loss of income and employment, and disruption of education. The policy also took a toll on the mental health of individuals.

Italy is one of the countries with the highest number of COVID-19 cases and associated mortality. The authors of the present study previously reported on the mental health outcomes of Italians in general from March 2020, when the first lockdown took place in Italy, to April.

The self-reported rate of symptoms of mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety, was 28% in over 18,000 individuals, across demographics such as women, young people, the less educated, housewives, and the unemployed. group experience worse mental health outcomes. They also examined the role of resilience and age to COVID-19-related stress. Here, researchers are looking at changes in his level of mental health 14 months after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

About research

In this study, researchers conducted a longitudinal cohort analysis to examine the trajectory of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) over 14 months with respect to psychological, contextual, and sociodemographic predictors. I checked. This web-based study was part of a program set up to monitor long-term mental health outcomes in health care workers and the Italian general population. The evaluation took place between April and May 2021. All individuals over the age of 18 living in Italy were eligible for this study.

Outcomes enabled ‘yes’ or ‘no’ responses to 17 symptoms including PTSD, depression, dissociation, sleep disorders, substance abuse, self-harm, and other emotional, social, or psychological problems was measured using the Global Trauma Screening. Global trauma screening also covers protective and risk factors such as history of mental illness, childhood trauma, psychological resilience, social support and other stressful events.

In addition, a 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire and a 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire were used to assess depression and anxiety symptoms, respectively. , employment status, education, region of residence, nationality, history of SARS-CoV-2 infection, work pattern (work from home or office), and frequency with which the individual works. Socialized in the past year.

result

The results showed that of 25.09% (5501) individuals who responded during follow-up assessment, 52.03% (2691) were resilient to mental health outcomes and 20.49% (1061) were in overall relief of distress. reported that 20.71% (1071) reported There was persistent general distress, with 6.77% (350) reporting general occasional distress.

The authors noted that in the 14 months between baseline assessment and follow-up, Italy experienced a second wave of COVID-19 between October and November 2020. This may have influenced the proportion of people reporting symptoms of persistent general distress. Furthermore, having a history of psychiatric illness is associated with increased persistent and prevalent episodic distress, indicating that the COVID-19 pandemic puts individuals with pre-existing psychiatric disorders at increased risk.

When demographic predictors were analyzed, consistent with the baseline assessment results, women and young individuals exhibited persistent general distress profiles, suggesting that these two demographic groups were more likely to be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. It was suggested to be particularly vulnerable to related anxiety. However, follow-up evaluations also showed an association between younger individuals and remission of distress symptoms, indicating that potential mediators are involved in improved mental health status over 14 months.

Socio-demographic predictors, such as being self-employed, having a lower level of education, living in southern and central Italy, and reduced social interaction during the pandemic, were also associated with persistent general distress symptoms. was doing. Strikingly, a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection was not associated with mental health status.

Conclusion

Overall, the results suggest that the incidence of mental health conditions such as depression, stress-related problems, and anxiety decreased among Italians during the 14 months after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. and resilience. However, intervention measures are still needed to support groups such as individuals with a history of mental disorders, young people, women, those with lower education, or those who are self-employed and continue to experience incident or persistent levels. is required. of anxiety.