One in three adults is anxious and depressed because of Covid-19: Study

A new study found that one in three adults, especially young adults, women, and people with low socioeconomic status experienced Covid-19-related psychological distress.

Researchers at the Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore wrote in the journal PLOS ONE that Covid-19 continues to pose a serious threat to public health around the world, with interventions such as blockade, quarantine and social distance adversely affecting it. Reported that it is affecting. The spiritual well-being of the group.

Pandemics increase the burden of psychological distress such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, and insomnia. However, during Covid-19, the factors associated with increased susceptibility to psychological distress in adults in the general population are still poorly understood.

“Understanding these factors is important for designing preventive programs and mental health resource planning in the event of a rapidly evolving Covid-19 outbreak,” said Duke-NUS’s medical services and systems, which led the study. Professor Tazeen Jafar of the research program explained.

“These factors can be used to identify populations at high risk of psychological distress, which can provide targeted remote and face-to-face interventions,” Duke-NUS added.

Professor Jafar and her team conducted a meta-analysis of 68 studies conducted during the pandemic, targeting 288,830 participants from 19 countries and identifying risk factors associated with general population anxiety and depression. I evaluated it.

Among those most affected by Covid-19-related anxiety and depression, they are at risk for women, young adults, individuals with low socioeconomic status, people living in rural areas, and those infected with Covid-19. Higher people experience psychological distress.

The finding that women are more likely to experience psychological distress than men is consistent with other global studies showing that anxiety and depression are more common in women.

“Women’s lower social status compared to men and lack of prioritized access to health care may be the cause of the exaggeration of psychosocial adverse effects on women,” the researchers suggest. did. “Therefore, mental health services outreach programs need to be actively targeted at women.”

Young adults under the age of 35 were more likely to experience psychological distress than adults over the age of 35. The reason for this is unknown, but previous studies suggest that it may be due to the increased access of Covid-19 information to young people. media. This current study also confirmed that longer media exposure was associated with higher odds of anxiety and depression.

Other factors associated with psychological distress include living in rural areas. Low education, low income, or unemployment. High risk of Covid-19 infection. However, having stronger family and social support and using proactive coping strategies has been shown to reduce the risk of psychological distress.

“Public citizens and healthcare professionals need to be aware of the high psychological burden of pandemics and education on coping strategies,” said Professor Jafar. “Patients should be encouraged to seek help, receive appropriate referrals and access mental health counseling services.”

Professor Patrick Casey, Senior Vice Dean of Research at Duke-NUS, commented: “Even with remarkable progress in the field of vaccines, the world recognizes that the Covid-19 pandemic will continue for a long time. Professor Jafar’s study provides valuable insights into the psychological consequences of pandemics on populations around the world. We focus on specific groups that can contribute to and benefit from additional support, whether from family members or healthcare providers. “

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