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Anxiety Linked to COVID-19: A Systematic Review Comparing Anxiety Rates in Different Populations

Author

Listed:
  • Hafsah Saeed

    (Neuroscience Research Unit, School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia)

  • Ardalan Eslami

    (Neuroscience Research Unit, School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia)

  • Najah T. Nassif

    (School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia)

  • Ann M. Simpson

    (School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia)

  • Sara Lal

    (Neuroscience Research Unit, School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has incited a rise in anxiety, with uncertainty regarding the specific impacts and risk factors across multiple populations. A qualitative systematic review was conducted to investigate the prevalence and associations of anxiety in different sample populations in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. Four databases were utilised in the search (Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO). The review period commenced in April 2021 and was finalised on 5 July 2021. A total of 3537 studies were identified of which 87 were included in the review (sample size: 755,180). Healthcare workers had the highest prevalence of anxiety (36%), followed by university students (34.7%), the general population (34%), teachers (27.2%), parents (23.3%), pregnant women (19.5%), and police (8.79%). Risk factors such as being female, having pre-existing mental conditions, lower socioeconomic status, increased exposure to infection, and being younger all contributed to worsened anxiety. The review included studies published before July 2021; due to the ongoing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, this may have excluded relevant papers. Restriction to only English papers and a sample size > 1000 may have also limited the range of papers included. These findings identify groups who are most vulnerable to developing anxiety in a pandemic and what specific risk factors are most common across multiple populations.

Suggested Citation

  • Hafsah Saeed & Ardalan Eslami & Najah T. Nassif & Ann M. Simpson & Sara Lal, 2022. "Anxiety Linked to COVID-19: A Systematic Review Comparing Anxiety Rates in Different Populations," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-26, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:4:p:2189-:d:749893
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