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The Evolution in Anxiety and Depression with the Progression of the Pandemic in Adult Populations from Eight Countries and Four Continents

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Listed:
  • Mélissa Généreux

    (Department of Community Health Sciences, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1H 5N4, Canada)

  • Philip J. Schluter

    (School of Health Sciences, University of Canterbury-Te Whare Wananga o Waitaha, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand)

  • Elsa Landaverde

    (Department of Community Health Sciences, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1H 5N4, Canada)

  • Kevin KC Hung

    (Collaborating Centre for Oxford University and CUHK for Disaster and Medical Humanitarian Response, JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Ngan Shing Street 30-32, Hong Kong, China)

  • Chi Shing Wong

    (Collaborating Centre for Oxford University and CUHK for Disaster and Medical Humanitarian Response, JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Ngan Shing Street 30-32, Hong Kong, China)

  • Catherine Pui Yin Mok

    (Collaborating Centre for Oxford University and CUHK for Disaster and Medical Humanitarian Response, JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Ngan Shing Street 30-32, Hong Kong, China)

  • Gabriel Blouin-Genest

    (School of Applied Politics, Faculté des Lettres et Sciences Humaines, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada)

  • Tracey O’Sullivan

    (Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 7K4, Canada)

  • Marc D. David

    (Department of Communication, Faculté de Lettres et Sciences Humaines, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada)

  • Marie-Eve Carignan

    (Department of Communication, Faculté de Lettres et Sciences Humaines, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada)

  • Olivier Champagne-Poirier

    (Department of Communication, Faculté de Lettres et Sciences Humaines, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada)

  • Nathalie Pignard-Cheynel

    (Académie du Journalisme et des Médias, Université de Neuchâtel, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland)

  • Sébastien Salerno

    (Medi@Lab, Université de Genève, Boulevard du Pont-d’Arve 40, 1205 Genève, Switzerland)

  • Grégoire Lits

    (Institut Langage et Communication, Université catholique de Louvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium)

  • Leen d’Haenens

    (Institute for Media Studies, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium)

  • David De Coninck

    (Centre for Sociological Research, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium)

  • Koenraad Matthys

    (Centre for Sociological Research, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium)

  • Eric Champagne

    (School of Political Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada)

  • Nathalie Burlone

    (School of Political Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada)

  • Zeeshan Qadar

    (National Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0T5, Canada)

  • Teodoro Herbosa

    (Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Philippines, Manille Grand, Manila 1000, Philippines)

  • Gleisse Ribeiro-Alves

    (Centro Universitário de Brasília, Brasilia 70850-090, Brazil)

  • Ronald Law

    (Department of Health, Manila, Manila 2932, Philippines)

  • Virginia Murray

    (Public Health England, London SE1 8UG, UK)

  • Emily Ying Yang Chan

    (Collaborating Centre for Oxford University and CUHK for Disaster and Medical Humanitarian Response, JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Ngan Shing Street 30-32, Hong Kong, China)

  • Mathieu Roy

    (Department of Family Medicine & Emergency Medicine, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1H 5N4, Canada)

Abstract

Nearly a year after the classification of the COVID-19 outbreak as a global pandemic, it is clear that different factors have contributed to an increase in psychological disorders, including public health measures that infringe on personal freedoms, growing financial losses, and conflicting messages. This study examined the evolution of psychosocial impacts with the progression of the pandemic in adult populations from different countries and continents, and identified, among a wide range of individual and country-level factors, which ones are contributing to this evolving psychological response. An online survey was conducted in May/June 2020 and in November 2020, among a sample of 17,833 adults (Phase 1: 8806; Phase 2: 9027) from eight countries/regions (Canada, the United States, England, Switzerland, Belgium, Hong Kong, the Philippines, New Zealand). Probable generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and major depressive episode (MDE) were assessed. The independent role of potential factors was examined using multilevel logistic regression. Probable GAD or MDE was indicated by 30.1% and 32.5% of the respondents during phases 1 and 2, respectively (a 7.9% increase over time), with an important variation according to countries/regions (range from 22.3% in Switzerland to 38.8% in the Philippines). This proportion exceeded 50% among young adults (18–24 years old) in all countries except for Switzerland. Beyond young age, several factors negatively influenced mental health in times of pandemic; important factors were found, including weak sense of coherence (adjusted odds ratio aOR = 3.89), false beliefs (aOR = 2.33), and self-isolation/quarantine (aOR = 2.01). The world has entered a new era dominated by psychological suffering and rising demand for mental health interventions, along a continuum from health promotion to specialized healthcare. More than ever, we need to innovate and build interventions aimed at strengthening key protective factors, such as sense of coherence, in the fight against the adversity caused by the concurrent pandemic and infodemic.

Suggested Citation

  • Mélissa Généreux & Philip J. Schluter & Elsa Landaverde & Kevin KC Hung & Chi Shing Wong & Catherine Pui Yin Mok & Gabriel Blouin-Genest & Tracey O’Sullivan & Marc D. David & Marie-Eve Carignan & Oliv, 2021. "The Evolution in Anxiety and Depression with the Progression of the Pandemic in Adult Populations from Eight Countries and Four Continents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-22, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:9:p:4845-:d:547597
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mélissa Généreux & Philip J. Schluter & Kevin KC Hung & Chi Shing Wong & Catherine Pui Yin Mok & Tracey O’Sullivan & Marc D. David & Marie-Eve Carignan & Gabriel Blouin-Genest & Olivier Champagne-Poir, 2020. "One Virus, Four Continents, Eight Countries: An Interdisciplinary and International Study on the Psychosocial Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic among Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-16, November.
    2. Fabrice Kämpfen & Iliana V Kohler & Alberto Ciancio & Wändi Bruine de Bruin & Jürgen Maurer & Hans-Peter Kohler, 2020. "Predictors of mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic in the US: Role of economic concerns, health worries and social distancing," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(11), pages 1-13, November.
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    2. Anna M. Gogola & Paweł Dębski & Agnieszka Goryczka & Piotr Gorczyca & Magdalena Piegza, 2021. "The Dark Triad of Personality’s Relationship with Compliance towards COVID-19 Pandemic Recommendations along with Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms in Polish Citizens," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(10), pages 1-12, May.
    3. Thomas Volken & Annina Zysset & Simone Amendola & Agnes von Wyl & Julia Dratva & on behalf of the HES-C Research Group, 2021. "Generalized Anxiety among Swiss Health Professions and Non-Health Professions Students: An Open Cohort Study over 14 Months in the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(20), pages 1-14, October.
    4. Lennart Reifels & Michel L. A. Dückers, 2023. "Disaster Mental Health Risk Reduction: Appraising Disaster Mental Health Research as If Risk Mattered," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(11), pages 1-14, May.
    5. Jianwei Huang & Mei-Po Kwan & Lap Ah Tse & Sylvia Y. He, 2023. "How People’s COVID-19 Induced-Worries and Multiple Environmental Exposures Are Associated with Their Depression, Anxiety, and Stress during the Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(16), pages 1-19, August.
    6. Sandila Tanveer & Philip J. Schluter & Ben Beaglehole & Richard J. Porter & Joseph Boden & Ruqayya Sulaiman-Hill & Damian Scarf & Shaystah Dean & Fatima Assad & Mahammad Abul Hasnat & Caroline Bell, 2023. "The COVID Psychosocial Impacts Scale: A Reliable and Valid Tool to Examine the Psychosocial Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(11), pages 1-21, May.

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