The psychological impact of COVID-19 on the mental health in the general population

Abstract As a result of the emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in the Chinese city of Wuhan, a situation of socio-economic crisis and profound psychological distress rapidly occurred worldwide. Various psychological problems and important consequences in terms of mental health including stress, anxiety, depression, frustration, uncertainty during COVID-19 outbreak emerged progressively. This work aimed to comprehensively review the current literature about the impact of COVID-19 infection on the mental health in the general population. The psychological impact of quarantine related to COVID-19 infection has been additionally documented together with the most relevant psychological reactions in the general population related to COVID-19 outbreak. The role of risk and protective factors against the potential to develop psychiatric disorders in vulnerable individuals has been addressed as well. The main implications of the present findings have been discussed.

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Immediate and delayed psychological effects of province-wide lockdown and personal quarantine during the COVID-19 outbreak in China

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291720003116 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-12 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Yiqun Gan ◽

Jinjin Ma ◽

Jianhui Wu ◽

Yidi Chen ◽

Huanya Zhu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Perceived Control ◽

Psychological Impact ◽

Public Mental Health ◽

Personal Control ◽

National Sample ◽

Mitigation Strategies ◽

Government Support ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected public health and wellbeing. In response to the pandemic threat of the coronavirus epidemic, several countries, including China, adopted lockdown and quarantine policies, which may cause psychological distress. This study aimed to explore the psychological impact of province-wide lockdown and personal quarantine during the COVID-19 outbreak in China as well as the corresponding risk factors and protective factors. Methods We examined the immediate (2-week) and delayed (2-month) impact of province-wide lockdown and personal quarantine on psychological distress in a national sample of 1390 Chinese residents. Results No immediate impact of province-wide lockdown on psychological distress was observed, whereas personal quarantine increased individuals’ anxiety, fear, and anger. Despite the lack of initial association, psychological distress increased among those in province-wide lockdown. Self-stigma and personal control both significantly moderated the association between lockdown and psychological distress, but in different directions. Those with higher self-stigma and lower personal control were more impacted by the lockdown. Government support moderated the impact of quarantine on psychological distress, but not that of lockdown. Conclusions The delayed effects of lockdown and quarantine on psychological distress were observed, and self-stigma, social support, and perceived control moderate the relationships. This study is the first to demonstrate the psychological costs of province-wide lockdowns on individuals’ mental health, providing evidence of the need for mitigation strategies and timely public mental health preparedness in countries with recent outbreaks of COVID-19.

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Mental Health in COVID-19 Pandemic: A Meta-Review of Prevalence Meta-Analyses

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.703838 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Geovan Menezes de Sousa ◽

Vagner Deuel de Oliveira Tavares ◽

Maria Lara Porpino de Meiroz Grilo ◽

Monique Leite Galvão Coelho ◽

Geissy Lainny de Lima-Araújo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Funnel Plot ◽

Psychophysiological Stress ◽

Population Type ◽

Meta Review ◽

Trim And Fill ◽

Meta Analyses ◽

Anxiety Depression ◽

The Impact

Background: Mental health burden has been massively reported during the COVID-19 pandemic period. Aiming to summarise these data, we present a meta-review of meta-analyses that evaluated the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on anxiety, depressive and stress symptoms, psychological distress, post-traumatic stress disorder/symptoms (PTSD), and sleep disturbance, reporting its prevalence on general public (GP) and health care workers (HCW).Methods: A search was performed in the PubMed, EMBASE, and the Web of Science. Sleep disturbances, psychological distress, stress, and burnout were grouped as “Psychophysiological stress,” and anxiety, depression, and PTSD were grouped as “Psychopathology.” A random-effects model, calculating the pooled prevalence together with 95% confidence interval was performed for each domain. Subgroup analyses were performed for each population type (GP and HCW) and for each mental health outcome. For anxiety and depression, subgroup analysis for population type was performed. Heterogeneity is reported as I2. Publication bias was assessed through visual inspection of the funnel plot, and further tested by Egger's test and trim and fill analyses.Results: A total of 18 meta-analyses were included. The prevalence of psychophysiological stress was 31.99% (CI: 26.88–37.58, I2 = 99.9%). HCW showed a higher prevalence (37.74%, CI: 33.26–42.45, I2 = 99.7%) than the GP (20.67%, 15.07–27.66, I2 = 99.9%). The overall prevalence of insomnia, psychological distress, and stress were, respectively, 32.34% (CI: 25.65–39.84), 28.25% (CI: 18.12–41.20), and 36% (CI: 29.31–43.54). Psychopathology was present at 26.45% (CI: 24.22–28.79, I2 = 99.9%) of the sample, with similar estimates for population (HCW 26.14%, CI: 23.37–29.12, I2 = 99.9%; GP: 26.99%, CI: 23.41–30.9, I2 = 99.9%). The prevalence of anxiety, depression, and PTSD was 27.77% (CI: 24.47–31.32), 26.93% (CI: 23.92–30.17), and 20% (CI: 15.54–24.37), respectively. Similar proportions between populations were found for anxiety (HCW = 27.5%, CI: 23.78–31.55; GP = 28.33%, CI: 22.1–35.5) and depression (HCW = 27.05%, CI: 23.14–31.36; GP = 26.7%, CI: 22.32–31.59). Asymmetry in the funnel plot was found, and a slight increase in the estimate of overall psychopathology (29.08%, CI: 26.42–31.89) was found after the trim and fill analysis.Conclusions: The prevalence of mental health problems ranged from 20 to 36%. HCW presented a higher prevalence of psychophysiological stress than the general population.Systematic Review Registration:https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=252221, identifier: CRD42021252221.

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Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health of the General Population, Students, and Health Care Workers: A Review

10.20944/preprints202007.0616.v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Sabina Sankhi ◽

Nirmal Raj Marasine

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Care ◽

General Population ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Psychological Reactions ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Lower Socioeconomic ◽

Care Workers ◽

The Impact

Background: The COVID-19 among humans is spreading heavily and is largely impacting the mental health of the general population, students, and health care workers worldwide. Hence, this review aims to summarize the literatures addressing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of the general population, students, and health care workers. Methods: Published articles concerning mental health of the general population, students, and health care workers related to the COVID-19 outbreak have been considered and reviewed. Results and Discussion: Mental health symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression are common psychological reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic in the general population, students, and health care workers. This collectively influences daily behavior, economy, prevention strategies and decision making from policy makers and health organizations, weakening the strategies of COVID-19 control leading to more morbidity and mental health needs at the global level. Conclusion: There is a need for more evidence-based research from other affected countries, particularly in vulnerable populations such as children and adolescents, people of lower socioeconomic status, and those residing in rural areas, so that valid strategies can be developed and COVID-19 and outbreaks of similar types in the near future can be prevented.

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Living under siege: resilience, hopelessness, and psychological distress among Palestinian students in the Gaza Strip

Global Mental Health ◽

10.1017/gmh.2021.37 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Guido Veronese ◽

Alessandro Pepe ◽

Marwan Diab ◽

Yasser Abu Jamey ◽

Ashraf Kagee

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Human Rights ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Mental Disorders ◽

Common Mental Disorders ◽

Gaza Strip ◽

Mental Symptoms ◽

The Gaza Strip ◽

Anxiety Depression ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background Moving from an approach oriented to adaptation and functioning, the current paper explored the network of cumulative associations between the effects of the siege and resilience on mental health. Methods We sought to explore the impact of the siege on psychological distress (anxiety, depression, and stress) and the moderating effect of resilience and hopelessness in a sample of 550 Palestinian university students. We hypothesized that the siege effect would impact psychological distress so that the more people were affected by the siege, the more mental symptoms of common mental disorders they would report. We also expected that the siege would negatively impact both resilience and participants' hopelessness. Results Findings showed that higher scores on the scale measuring effect of the siege were associated with hopelessness. Furthermore, living under siege compromised participants’ resilience. The more the siege affected individuals, the lower resilience were protecting participants mental health and the more hopelessness was exposing them to anxiety, stress, and depression. Conclusion Our findings draw attention to how the ongoing violation of human rights influences people's mental health in Gaza. Implications for clinicians and policymakers are discussed.

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The Acute Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Children’s Mental Health in Southwestern Ontario

10.31234/osf.io/5cwb4 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Alexandra Mactavish ◽

Carli Mastronardi ◽

Rosanne Menna ◽

Kimberley A. Babb ◽

Marco Battaglia ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Support ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Psychological Impact ◽

Well Being ◽

Children’S Mental Health ◽

Children's Mental Health ◽

Children And Parents ◽

The Impact

Objective: COVID-19 is an unprecedented global crisis. Research is critically needed to identify the acute and long-term impacts of the pandemic to children’s mental health including psychosocial factors that predict resilience, recovery, and persistent long-term distress. The present study collected data in June-July 2020 to enumerate the acute impact of the pandemic on children’s mental health, including the magnitude and nature of psychiatric and psychological distress in children, and to evaluate social support as a putative psychosocial correlate of children’s distress.Method: 190 families of children aged 8 to 13 from the Windsor-Essex region of Southwestern Ontario reported on the impact of the pandemic on children’s well-being (e.g., worry, happiness); irritability; social support; and symptoms of anxiety, depressive, and posttraumatic stress disorder at baseline assessment of an ongoing longitudinal study of the COVID-19 pandemic.Results: Children and parents reported worsened well-being and psychological distress during the pandemic compared to retrospective report of pre-pandemic well-being. Children and parents also reported higher depressive and anxiety symptoms, but fewer PTSD symptoms, compared to epidemiological samples that used the same measures prior to the pandemic. Finally, child-perceived social support from family and friends was associated with lower symptom severity.Conclusions: Study findings indicate broad psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and are consistent with prior research that indicates a protective role of social support to mitigate the negative psychological impact of the pandemic.

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The Role of Religiosity to Address the Mental Health Crisis of Students: A Study on Three Parameters (Anxiety, Depression, and Stress)

Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities ◽

10.47836/pjssh.29.4.40 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 29 (4) ◽

Author(s):

Rohmah Najihah Misran ◽

Jamilah Hanum Abdul Khaiyom ◽

Zul Azlin Razali

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Psychological Health ◽

Protective Factor ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Health Issues ◽

Mental Health Crisis ◽

Health Crisis ◽

Anxiety Depression

Religiosity is a construct that has interesting implications in the mental health issues of youths. This study examines the role of religiosity on anxiety, depression, and stress using 148 Muslim students studying Islamic studies at undergraduate provision in an Islamic University as sample. Results indicated that the level of religiosity among the participants ranged from moderately religious to highly religious. The mean levels of anxiety, depression, and stress among the participants were moderate, and a significant number of students suffered from severe psychological distress. Female students were reported to experience significantly slightly more stress than male students. Furthermore, the relationship between religiosity, anxiety, and depression was significantly negative but not stressful. Further analysis found that religiosity serves as a protective factor for depression. Meanwhile, some religiosity components (i.e., avoidance of sinful acts and frequent conduct of recommended acts) were found to be a significant protective factor against anxiety and depression, respectively. Thus, in retrospect, mental health and religion appear to converge on managing psychological distress. As so to speak, this is a vital point in the emerging mental health services in which the incorporation of religious components into clinical practice may show good promising results in aiding the recovery process of psychological health issues. Likewise, embedding religiosity in one’s life, or being religiously minded, reflected in daily life manifestation, is linked with better mental health outcomes.

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Trauma in the Kashmir Valley and the mediating effect of stressors of daily life on symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety

Conflict and Health ◽

10.1186/s13031-019-0245-6 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Tambri Housen ◽

Annick Lenglet ◽

Showkat Shah ◽

Helal Sha ◽

Shabnum Ara ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Psychological Impact ◽

Poor Mental Health ◽

Mediating Effect ◽

Traumatic Experiences ◽

Daily Stressors ◽

Related Factors ◽

Protracted Conflict ◽

Anxiety Depression

Abstract Background The negative psychological impact of living in a setting of protracted conflict has been well studied, however there is a recognized need to understand the role that non-conflict related factors have on mediating exposure to trauma and signs of psychological distress. Methods We used data from the 2015 Kashmir Mental Health Survey and conducted mediation analysis to assess the extent to which daily stressors mediated the effect of traumatic experiences on poor mental health outcomes. Outcomes of interest were probable diagnosis of anxiety, depression, or PTSD; measured using the pre-validated Hopkins Symptoms Checklist (HSCL-25) and the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ). Results Total effect mediated were statistically significant but the proportions of effect mediated were found to be small in practical terms. Financial stress mediated 6.8% [95% Confidence Interval (CI) 6∙0–8∙4], 6.7% [CI 6.2–7∙7] and 3.6% [CI 3∙4–4∙0] of the effect of experiencing multiple traumaticogenic events on symptoms of anxiety, depression and PTSD, respectively. Family stress mediated 11.3% [CI 10.3–13.8], 10.3% [CI 9.5–11.9] and 6.1% [CI 5.7–6.7] of the effect of experiencing multiple traumatogenic events on symptoms of anxiety, depression and PTSD, respectively. Poor physical health mediated 10.0% [CI 9.1–12∙0], 7.2% [CI 6.6–8.2] and 4.0% [CI 3.8,4.4] of the effect of experiencing more than seven traumatic events on symptoms of anxiety, depression and PTSD, respectively. Conclusion Our findings highlight that not only do we need to move beyond a trauma-focussed approach to addressing psychological distress in populations affected by protracted conflict but we must also move beyond focussing on daily stressors as explanatory mediators.

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Impact of Ebola experiences and risk perceptions on mental health in Sierra Leone, July 2015

BMJ Global Health ◽

10.1136/bmjgh-2017-000471 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 3 (2) ◽

pp. e000471 ◽

Cited By ~ 67

Author(s):

Mohamed F Jalloh ◽

Wenshu Li ◽

Rebecca E Bunnell ◽

Kathleen A Ethier ◽

Ann O’Leary ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

General Population ◽

Sierra Leone ◽

Risk Perceptions ◽

Psychosocial Support ◽

Bivariate Analysis ◽

Depression Symptom ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Anxiety Depression ◽

The Impact

BackgroundThe mental health impact of the 2014–2016 Ebola epidemic has been described among survivors, family members and healthcare workers, but little is known about its impact on the general population of affected countries. We assessed symptoms of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the general population in Sierra Leone after over a year of outbreak response.MethodsWe administered a cross-sectional survey in July 2015 to a national sample of 3564 consenting participants selected through multistaged cluster sampling. Symptoms of anxiety and depression were measured by Patient Health Questionnaire-4. PTSD symptoms were measured by six items from the Impact of Events Scale-revised. Relationships among Ebola experience, perceived Ebola threat and mental health symptoms were examined through binary logistic regression.ResultsPrevalence of any anxiety-depression symptom was 48% (95% CI 46.8% to 50.0%), and of any PTSD symptom 76% (95% CI 75.0% to 77.8%). In addition, 6% (95% CI 5.4% to 7.0%) met the clinical cut-off for anxiety-depression, 27% (95% CI 25.8% to 28.8%) met levels of clinical concern for PTSD and 16% (95% CI 14.7% to 17.1%) met levels of probable PTSD diagnosis. Factors associated with higher reporting of any symptoms in bivariate analysis included region of residence, experiences with Ebola and perceived Ebola threat. Knowing someone quarantined for Ebola was independently associated with anxiety-depression (adjusted OR (AOR) 2.3, 95% CI 1.7 to 2.9) and PTSD (AOR 2.095% CI 1.5 to 2.8) symptoms. Perceiving Ebola as a threat was independently associated with anxiety-depression (AOR 1.69 95% CI 1.44 to 1.98) and PTSD (AOR 1.86 95% CI 1.56 to 2.21) symptoms.ConclusionSymptoms of PTSD and anxiety-depression were common after one year of Ebola response; psychosocial support may be needed for people with Ebola-related experiences. Preventing, detecting, and responding to mental health conditions should be an important component of global health security efforts.

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Symptoms of anxiety/depression during the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdown in the community: longitudinal data from the TEMPO cohort in France

BMC Psychiatry ◽

10.1186/s12888-021-03383-z ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Astrid Juhl Andersen ◽

Murielle Mary-Krause ◽

Joel José Herranz Bustamante ◽

Mégane Héron ◽

Tarik El Aarbaoui ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Data Collection ◽

Community Sample ◽

Psychological Impact ◽

Estimation Equations ◽

Mental Health Difficulties ◽

Health Situation ◽

Anxiety Depression

Abstract Background To cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing restrictions where implemented in France, which could have led to social isolation. This is expected to have affected the mental health situation, including increasing risk of symptoms of anxiety and depression in the general population. Persons with prior mental health difficulties could be an especially vulnerable group, however, few studies have tested this empirically considering preexisting mental health difficulties. We examine the association between preexisting symptoms of anxiety/depression and anxiety/depression during lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic in a longitudinal community sample. Methods A longitudinal follow-up during lockdown (data collection March–June 2020) was implemented among participants of the TEMPO cohort. Prior knowledge of anxiety/depression was included from prior waves of data collection. Generalized estimation equations models were used to estimate the association between preexisting symptoms of anxiety/depression and symptoms of anxiety/depression during lockdown among 662 mid-aged individuals. Results Individuals with symptoms of anxiety/depression measured prior to lockdown had 6.73 higher odds [95% CI = 4.45–10.17] of symptoms of anxiety/depression during lockdown. Additionally, the likelihood of symptoms of anxiety/depression during lockdown was elevated among women (OR = 2.07 [95% CI = 1.32–3.25]), subjects with low household income (OR = 2.28 [1.29–4.01]) and persons who reported being lonely (OR = 3.94 [95% CI = 2.47–6.28]). Conclusions Our study underlines the role of preexisting symptoms of anxiety/depression as a vulnerability factor of anxiety/depression during lockdown. Interventions focusing on individuals with mental health difficulties as well as people feeling lonely should be considered, to reduce the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Biotechnological therapies and biosimilars for COVID-19: scarcities, poor regulation, and pharmaceutical black market: a case analysis in Ecuador

Generics and Biosimilars Initiative Journal ◽

10.5639/gabij.2021.1004.023 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 184-192

Author(s):

Esteban Ortiz-Prado ◽

Enrique Teran ◽

Raul Patricio Fernandez Naranjo ◽

Doménica Cevallos-Robalino ◽

Eduardo Vasconez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

General Population ◽

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽

Chlorine Dioxide ◽

Case Analysis ◽

Black Market ◽

Off Label Use ◽

Off Label ◽

Chemical Products ◽

The Impact

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ecuador was unprepared for the overwhelming number of COVID-19 cases. As the general population started to see the eff ects of the pandemic, unproven treatments and medications were sought by the population to try to ameliorate the impact of the pandemic. The growing demand for a cure, the fear of dying from COVID-19, and the lack of therapeutic rigour, pushed a signifi cant number of people to seek help outside the traditional healthcare system. Doctors, pharmacists, and patients started prescribing or selfmedicating pharmacological products that were later shown to be ineff ective, toxic or even contraindicated. In Ecuador, most people who developed the severe acute respiratory syndrome associated with infection by the coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus, which causes COVID-19, used antibiotics (azithromycin), antiparasitic medications (hydroxychloroquine or ivermectin), dangerous chemical products (chlorine dioxide) and in some cases, biological medicines, to try to cure or protect themselves from COVID-19. The growing demand for therapies that were unavailable, as well as the rise in misinformation, created the perfect scenario for the misuse of medicines and enabled the appearance of a rampant black market of unregistered biological products. In this manuscript, we describe the Ecuadorian experience in relation to the off -label use of biological and biosimilar products during the COVID-19 pandemic, the role of the pharmaceutical black market, and the lack of national regulations to avoid dangerous practices. To the best of our knowledge this is the fi rst report that has aimed to describe the unapproved and even illegal sale and use of biologicals, biosimilars and related products, with or without approved therapeutic indications in the treatment of COVID-19.

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