The Psychological Impact of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic on Pregnant Women in China

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been reported to have negative psychological impact on mental health. Nonetheless, there are few studies investigating the impacts on pregnant women. This study investigated the psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic on pregnant women, and the associated risk factors that moderated this impact.Methods and Materials: A total of 2,798 pregnant participants were recruited from the Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) were used to assess depression, generalized anxiety disorder and insomnia, respectively, during and before the COVID-19 pandemic. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) was used to assess psychological stress during the COVID-19 pandemic.Results: During the COVID-19 pandemic, over one third of pregnant participants reported mild depression, around 20% experienced mild generalized anxiety, about one third reported problems with sleeping, and more than 15% felt mild psychological stress. The occurrence of psychological problems was significantly higher during the COVID-19 pandemic when compared to before the outbreak. The previously described pattern that pregnant women in the first trimester are more likely to report depression, and those in the third trimester are more likely to report insomnia and psychological stress, was also recognized in our study population. Mental health issues existing before the outbreak were risk factors, while family support was a protective factor in the occurrence of the measured mental health problems during the COVID-19 pandemic.Conclusion: Our data suggest pregnant women's mental health is inevitably affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pregnant women in the first and third trimester and those who experienced mental issues before the outbreak may be particularly affected.

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Effects of SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic on the Mental Health of Spanish Ob-Gyn Specialists—A Nationwide Study

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm10245899 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (24) ◽

pp. 5899

Author(s):

Ernesto González-Mesa ◽

Jesus Salvador Jiménez-López ◽

Marta Blasco-Alonso ◽

Jose Ramon Anderica-Herrero ◽

Daniel Lubián-López

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Anxiety Disorder ◽

Generalized Anxiety Disorder ◽

Online Survey ◽

Work And Family ◽

Obstetrics And Gynecology ◽

Generalized Anxiety ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

General Anxiety Disorder ◽

The Impact

It has been reported that frontline health professionals have suffered from an increased rate of mental disorders as a consequence of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of Spanish specialists in the obstetrics and gynecology fields after the fifth Spanish COVID-19 wave. Methods: Psychometric screening of the professionals was performed using a nationwide online survey designed by the Psychosocial Obstetrics and Gynecology taskforce. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and general anxiety disorder were screened. Results: We found high scores for PTSD, depression, and generalized anxiety disorder. Up to 12.4% of specialists met the PTSD criteria, 12.8% showed complex PTSD, 37% showed depression, and up to 37% had a positive screening for generalized anxiety disorder. Our results showed that the pandemic has particularly affected the group of female Ob-Gyn specialists, with significant higher scores in depression and anxiety scales. Conclusions: As a lesson learned for the future in case of new health emergencies, it would be very important to provide professionals with adequate psychological support, ensuring enough human and material resources, flexible work shifts, and facilities to reconcile work and family-life, especially in the case of female specialists.

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Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Depressive Symptoms among Pakistani Population during the Second Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Regression Analysis

American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene ◽

10.4269/ajtmh.21-0380 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 105 (4) ◽

pp. 915-923

Author(s):

Farah Yasmin ◽

Kartik Dapke ◽

Muhammad Rahman Khalid ◽

Hina Naz ◽

Farah Naz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Anxiety Disorder ◽

Generalized Anxiety Disorder ◽

Generalized Anxiety ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Pakistani Population ◽

The World ◽

The Impact ◽

Second Wave

ABSTRACT. Over a span of 1 year, with millions infected, COVID-19 has spread to every part of the world and now poses a health threat to each and every one of us. The outbreak has consequently resulted in multiple health problems such as stress, anxiety, depressive symptoms, insomnia, panic, and denial globally. Several factors have contributed to this rising number of psychiatric consults all over the world. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of Pakistani population during the second wave of the pandemic in this region. We conducted an online web-based cross-sectional survey comprising 500 participants. The questionnaire assessed the demographic information, attitude, and knowledge concerning COVID-19 outbreak in addition to generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) utilizing the GAD-7 scale and depressive symptoms using the Center for Epidemiology Scale for Depression (CES-D) scale. The response rate of the study was 90.9%. The results of the survey indicated a prevalence of 25.4% of GAD, and 18.8% of depressive symptoms. Furthermore, nearly 34.8% of participants feared contracting COVID-19, 62.8% obtained constant critical updates regarding COVID-19, while 17.6% did not understand the knowledge regarding COVID-19. In the multivariate regression models, GAD was significantly associated with gender, age, and checking constantly of critical updates regarding COVID-19. Similarly, participants under 30 years had a higher risk of developing depressive symptoms than those above (> 30 years). Lastly, participants with no formal education were also found to be more prone to developing depression. We identified a potential threat to mental health during the pandemic.

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The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health and daily life of adults with behavioral health disorders

Translational Behavioral Medicine ◽

10.1093/tbm/ibab013 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jessica A Jonikas ◽

Judith A Cook ◽

Margaret Swarbrick ◽

Patricia Nemec ◽

Pamela J Steigman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Anxiety Disorder ◽

Behavioral Health ◽

Generalized Anxiety Disorder ◽

Access To Health Care ◽

Multivariable Logistic Regression Analysis ◽

Generalized Anxiety ◽

Behavioral Health Disorders ◽

Health Disorders ◽

The Impact

Abstract People with behavioral health disorders may be particularly vulnerable to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, yet little is known about how they are faring. A mixed-methods, anonymous needs assessment was conducted to understand changes in the lives of adults with mental health and substance use disorders since the pandemic onset. A cross-sectional, online survey was completed by 272 adults in April and May 2020, recruited from statewide networks of community programs in New Jersey and New York. Measures included the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2 to screen for depressive and anxiety disorders. Also assessed was the pandemic’s impact on sleep and dietary patterns, exposure to COVID-19 infection, and access to health care and medications. Finally, respondents were asked to describe in their own words any changes in their lives since the pandemic began. Over one-third (35.1%) screened positive for generalized anxiety disorder and over one-quarter (29.6%) screened positive for major depressive disorder. The majority reported pandemic-related changes in eating and sleeping patterns and exposure to COVID-19 infection. Multivariable logistic regression analysis found that many changes attributed to the pandemic were positively and significantly associated with screening positive for anxiety and depressive disorders. Qualitative analysis confirmed these findings and identified participants’ resilience stemming from social support, emotion management, and self-care. These results can inform the design of services that assist this population to bolster self-management skills and reestablish daily habits to improve their lives during and following the pandemic.

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COVID-19 Pandemic-Related Anxiety in Pregnant Women

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18147221 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (14) ◽

pp. 7221

Author(s):

Urszula Nowacka ◽

Szymon Kozlowski ◽

Marcin Januszewski ◽

Janusz Sierdzinski ◽

Artur Jakimiuk ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Anxiety Disorder ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Generalized Anxiety Disorder ◽

Social Contact ◽

Anxiety Level ◽

Generalized Anxiety ◽

Daily Routine ◽

Main Concern ◽

Pregnancy Anxiety ◽

Fetal Wellbeing

The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak influenced general and mental health worldwide. The objective of this study was to assess the anxiety level during the COVID-19 pandemic among pregnant women and compare it between COVID-infected and non-infected groups. We prospectively assessed the daily routine and anxiety level using a bespoke questionnaire and GAD-7 scale validated for pregnant women. With logistic regression, we established possible risk factors of generalized anxiety disorder spectrum and main causes of concern. The dataset included 439 responders of our survey. Of which, 21% had COVID-19 infection during pregnancy; 38% were screened for possible generalized anxiety disorder and the proportion was higher in women who suffered from COVID-19 (48% vs. 35%, p = 0.03). Pre-pregnancy anxiety or depression diagnosis and intentional social contact avoidance increased the risk of anxiety (aOR 3.4 and 3.2). Fetal wellbeing was the main concern for 66% of the responders. The COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions substantially altered daily lives of pregnant women, exaggerating the prevalence of anxiety compared with the pre-COVID-19 studies (38% vs. 15%). COVID-19 infection during pregnancy was associated with increased levels of generalized anxiety scores. Patient-tailored psychological support should be a mainstay of comprehensive antenatal medical care in order to avoid anxiety- and stress-related complications.

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Cognitive functions in young adults with generalized anxiety disorder

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.eurpsy.2018.10.008 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 56 (1) ◽

pp. 1-7 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Kiara Leonard ◽

Amitai Abramovitch

Keyword(s):

Anxiety Disorder ◽

Cognitive Load ◽

Generalized Anxiety Disorder ◽

Cognitive Functions ◽

Theoretical Models ◽

Generalized Anxiety ◽

Neuropsychological Battery ◽

Compensatory Mechanisms ◽

Neuropsychological Profile ◽

The Impact

AbstractBackground:Anxiety and worry are central symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) that have been theorized to negatively impact cognitive functions. However, most of the research has focused on threat-related or emotionally-charged stimuli, and a surprisingly small number of investigations examined ‘cold’ cognitive functions using classic neuropsychological tests. Such investigations are particularly important given that some theoretical models suggest compensatory mechanisms associated with anxiety that in certain circumstances may result in intact performance. The aim of the present study is to assess the neuropsychological profile associated with GAD, using a comprehensive neuropsychological battery.Methods:A sample of 23 college students meeting criteria for DSM-5 GAD and 20 control participants completed a psychometrically valid comprehensive computerized neuropsychological battery and clinical questionnaires.Results:The GAD sample presented with significantly elevated symptomatic rates of anxiety, worry, depression and stress. However, no significant differences were found on any neuropsychological outcome measures or domain indexes. Effect sizes were small, some of which favored the GAD sample.Conclusion:Despite substantial psychopathological burden, GAD exhibited intact cognitive functioning. These results support the Cognitive Control Theory of Anxiety, suggesting that elevated primary anxiety may not impact ‘cold’ cognitive functions in the absence of threat or substantial cognitive load. Given that this is one of the only studies employing a comprehensive neuropsychological battery in GAD, more research is needed in this population to replicate these results and to examine the impact of anxiety on cognitive functions at varying degrees of cognitive load in this population.

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An Underlying Common Factor, Influenced by Genetics and Unique Environment, Explains the Covariation Between Major Depressive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Burnout: A Swedish Twin Study

Twin Research and Human Genetics ◽

10.1017/thg.2016.73 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 19 (6) ◽

pp. 619-627 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Lisa Mather ◽

Victoria Blom ◽

Gunnar Bergström ◽

Pia Svedberg

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Major Depressive Disorder ◽

Anxiety Disorder ◽

Environmental Factors ◽

Depressive Disorder ◽

Generalized Anxiety Disorder ◽

Common Factor ◽

Generalized Anxiety ◽

Major Depressive ◽

Common Pathway

Depression and anxiety are highly comorbid due to shared genetic risk factors, but less is known about whether burnout shares these risk factors. We aimed to examine whether the covariation between major depressive disorder (MDD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and burnout is explained by common genetic and/or environmental factors. This cross-sectional study included 25,378 Swedish twins responding to a survey in 2005–2006. Structural equation models were used to analyze whether the trait variances and covariances were due to additive genetics, non-additive genetics, shared environment, and unique environment. Univariate analyses tested sex limitation models and multivariate analysis tested Cholesky, independent pathway, and common pathway models. The phenotypic correlations were 0.71 (0.69–0.74) between MDD and GAD, 0.58 (0.56–0.60) between MDD and burnout, and 0.53 (0.50–0.56) between GAD and burnout. Heritabilities were 45% for MDD, 49% for GAD, and 38% for burnout; no statistically significant sex differences were found. A common pathway model was chosen as the final model. The common factor was influenced by genetics (58%) and unique environment (42%), and explained 77% of the variation in MDD, 69% in GAD, and 44% in burnout. GAD and burnout had additive genetic factors unique to the phenotypes (11% each), while MDD did not. Unique environment explained 23% of the variability in MDD, 20% in GAD, and 45% in burnout. In conclusion, the covariation was explained by an underlying common factor, largely influenced by genetics. Burnout was to a large degree influenced by unique environmental factors not shared with MDD and GAD.

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Generalized anxiety disorder and depression: childhood risk factors in a birth cohort followed to age 32

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291706009640 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 37 (03) ◽

pp. 441 ◽

Cited By ~ 169

Author(s):

TERRIE E. MOFFITT ◽

AVSHALOM CASPI ◽

HONALEE HARRINGTON ◽

BARRY J. MILNE ◽

MARIA MELCHIOR ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Anxiety Disorder ◽

Birth Cohort ◽

Generalized Anxiety Disorder ◽

Generalized Anxiety ◽

Childhood Risk Factors

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The perception of parental bonding in pregnant adolescents and its association with generalized anxiety disorder

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.eurpsy.2018.07.011 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 54 ◽

pp. 51-56 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Mariana Bonati de Matos ◽

Carolina Coelho Scholl ◽

Jéssica Puchalski Trettim ◽

Mariane Lopez Molina ◽

Mariana Carret Soares ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Anxiety Disorder ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Psychiatric Disorders ◽

Generalized Anxiety Disorder ◽

Psychological Health ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Parental Bonding ◽

Two Dimensions ◽

Generalized Anxiety ◽

Pregnant Adolescents

AbstractBackground:The parental bonding is influenced by two dimensions: care and control or protection over the child of both parents. The lack of care during childhood may make the individual more susceptible to the onset of psychiatric disorders when adult. These psychiatric disorders when present during pregnancy may have a negative impact on the health of pregnant women and children. The aim of this study was to assess the association between generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in pregnant adolescents and the perception of parental bonding.Methods:This is a cross-sectional study with 871 pregnant women under the age of 19, receiving prenatal care in 47 Basic Health Units in the one city, Brazil. The generalized anxiety disorder was measured using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) and the perception of parental bonding in childhood using the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI).Results:The prevalence of GAD was 8.5%. Among all the parental bonding dimensions, only a perceived lack of maternal care under 16 years was associated with GAD.Conclusions:The results showed that only the perception of maternal bonding was associated with later GAD. It suggests that an adequate maternal bond is an essential component of psychological health.

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