TY - JOUR
T1 - Quantifying the mental health burden of the most severe covid-19 restrictions
T2 - A natural experiment
AU - Fisher, Jane
AU - Tran, Thach
AU - Hammarberg, Karin
AU - Nguyen, Hau
AU - Stocker, Ruby
AU - Rowe, Heather
AU - Sastri, Jayagowri
AU - Popplestone, Sally
AU - Kirkman, Maggie
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported by a generous untied philanthropic donation from Professor John McBain and Dr Penny Foster. JF is supported by the Finkel Professorial Fellowship which is funded by the Finkel Family Foundation and TT is supported by a Monash University Strategic Bridging Fellowship.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021
Copyright:
Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2021/10/1
Y1 - 2021/10/1
N2 - Background: The COVID-19 pandemic, and the restrictions required to halt spread of the infection, are associated with increased population burden of moderate to severe symptoms of depression and anxiety. The aim was to quantify the mental health burden of the most severe COVID-19 related restrictions. Methods: A natural experiment in which differences between Australian states and territories in the severity of restrictions for pandemic control, divided the population. People in Victoria experienced the most severe, and people in all other states and territories less severe or negligible restrictions. Data were collected in national, anonymously completed, online surveys (in April and in July / August 2020) of adults in Australia. Outcomes were, in the previous fortnight, experiencing clinically significant depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire 9 score ≥10); or symptoms of generalised anxiety (Generalised Anxiety Disorder Scale 7 score ≥10). Results: In total, 23,749 eligible respondents contributed complete data. There were no differences in the population burden of mental health problems between Victoria and the other states and territories at Survey One. By Survey Two prevalence rates of clinically significant depressive (Adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) 1.96; 95% CI 1.62; 2.37) and anxiety (aOR 1.87; 95%CI 1.53; 2.29) symptoms were substantially and significantly higher in Victoria than in other states and territories. Limitations: Online surveys are less accessible to some groups of people. The data are self-report and not diagnostic. Conclusions: The most severe COVID-19 restrictions are associated with near double the population prevalence of moderate to severe depressive and generalised anxiety symptoms.
AB - Background: The COVID-19 pandemic, and the restrictions required to halt spread of the infection, are associated with increased population burden of moderate to severe symptoms of depression and anxiety. The aim was to quantify the mental health burden of the most severe COVID-19 related restrictions. Methods: A natural experiment in which differences between Australian states and territories in the severity of restrictions for pandemic control, divided the population. People in Victoria experienced the most severe, and people in all other states and territories less severe or negligible restrictions. Data were collected in national, anonymously completed, online surveys (in April and in July / August 2020) of adults in Australia. Outcomes were, in the previous fortnight, experiencing clinically significant depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire 9 score ≥10); or symptoms of generalised anxiety (Generalised Anxiety Disorder Scale 7 score ≥10). Results: In total, 23,749 eligible respondents contributed complete data. There were no differences in the population burden of mental health problems between Victoria and the other states and territories at Survey One. By Survey Two prevalence rates of clinically significant depressive (Adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) 1.96; 95% CI 1.62; 2.37) and anxiety (aOR 1.87; 95%CI 1.53; 2.29) symptoms were substantially and significantly higher in Victoria than in other states and territories. Limitations: Online surveys are less accessible to some groups of people. The data are self-report and not diagnostic. Conclusions: The most severe COVID-19 restrictions are associated with near double the population prevalence of moderate to severe depressive and generalised anxiety symptoms.
KW - Mental health
KW - Population burden
KW - Severe COVID-19 restrictions
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85109453384&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jad.2021.06.060
DO - 10.1016/j.jad.2021.06.060
M3 - Article
C2 - 34246949
AN - SCOPUS:85109453384
SN - 0165-0327
VL - 293
SP - 406
EP - 414
JO - Journal of Affective Disorders
JF - Journal of Affective Disorders
ER -