Depressive symptoms in the general population before and in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic: Results of the GEDA 2019/2020 study.

Background: Study results on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health in the first year of the pandemic are contradictory. The GEDA 2019/2020 study makes it possible to examine changes in depressive symptoms in the population. Methods: A standardised telephone interview was used to survey a random sample of the population in Germany aged 15 and older. To exclude seasonal effects, 10,220 interviewees from the period April 2019 to January 2020 were compared with 11,900 from the period April 2020 to January 2021. Depressive symptoms were assessed with the internationally established 8-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8). Results: The prevalence of depressive symptoms decreased from 9.2% to 7.6% in the first year of the pandemic. Changes differ between women and men as well as between age and education groups. The analysis of individual symptoms suggests that it is not about a reduction of mental disorders of the depressive type in the narrower sense, but rather a decrease in stress-associated individual symptoms. Conclusions: The decrease in stress-associated depressive symptoms in parts of the population can be interpreted as an indication that pandemic-related changes in everyday life and the working environment may have had a positive effect on individual areas of mental health in certain groups, at least temporarily in the first year of the pandemic. The continuing strong social inequality in depressive symptoms to the disadvantage of low education groups confirms that the need for social situation-related health promotion and prevention with regard to the living and working conditions of socially disadvantaged people must not be lost sight of in times of pandemic. For groups in the population that partly showed a worsening of symptoms in this phase of the pandemic, e.g. the diminished ability to concentrate of very old men, targeted support options should be created in the future.

Health situation in Germany during the COVID-19 pandemic. Developments over time for selected indicators of GEDA 2019/2020 - An update.

The spread of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 in 2020 and the containment measures associated therewith have changed many aspects of daily life. An impact on health even beyond infections itself is assumed as well. The health situation of the population in the first phase of the pandemic was thus analysed using data from the German Health Update (GEDA 2019/2020-EHIS). By continuing the survey, the analyses for 2020 are completed (n=26,507 participants), whereby the focus is now on the third phase of the pandemic (second wave of infection, gradual reintroduction of containment measures). The health indicators are presented on a monthly basis. As in the first phase of the pandemic, no pandemic-related changes were observed for tobacco smoking/ second-hand smoke exposure and for received/lack of/provided support. In contrast to the first phase of the pandemic, declines in utilisation of medical services and depressive symptoms are not observed in the third phase. The increase in body weight/body mass index after the first phase of the pandemic did not continue. The survey period allows for a comparison of the periods before and as of the pandemic situation. A decrease in the medical services utilisation and depressive symptoms as well as an increase in the body weight/body mass index is observed in the period from March 2020 to January 2021 compared to the pre-pandemic period from April 2019 to March 2020.

Care for the chronically ill in Germany - The challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic is posing major challenges to the health care sector. This scoping review compiles evidence concerning changes to health care service availability and utilisation as well as possible impacts on health for selected groups of chronically ill people in Germany. The focus is on cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus and mental disorders. Most empirical data available concerned inpatient care and showed a clear decline in the utilisation of inpatient treatments in March and April 2020 in the areas of oncology and cardiology as well as in mental health. For cardiovascular emergencies such as heart attack and stroke, a decline was observed especially regarding less serious cases. Although there were indications of treatment delays, there was no evidence thus far that emergency care had been generally compromised due to adjustments to inpatient care capacities. In the outpatient setting, extensive adjustments to health care services availability were observed for all disease groups considered. Overall, very limited empirical data were available. In particular, hardly any data were available on how changes in care impacted population health. There is an urgent need for continuous surveillance and evaluation based on health care and epidemiological data.

Corrigendum: Developments in the health situation in Germany during the initial stage of the COVID-19 pandemic for selected indicators of GEDA 2019/2020-EHIS.

[This corrects the article on p. 3-20 in vol. 5.].

Developments in the health situation in Germany during the initial stage of the COVID-19 pandemic for selected indicators of GEDA 2019/2020-EHIS.

SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus, has posed major challenges in Germany in 2020. It is unclear whether the pandemic and containment measures will have an impact on the health of the population beyond the point of infection. The German Health Update (GEDA 2019/2020-EHIS) is a nationwide survey of the population aged 15 years and older (n=23,001) that was conducted between April 2019 and September 2020. The focus of the analysis was on indicators for which pandemic-related changes could be expected. Based on regression models, adjusted proportions and mean values were estimated as trends over time. Any differences in the values found for the time period of containment measures in spring 2020 and the reference period 2019 were statistically tested. Since the implementation of containment measures, both body weight and body mass index (BMI) have increased. The utilisation of general and specialist medical services decreased temporarily. The number of tobacco smokers during the observation period also decreased, yet without revealing a clear link to the pandemic situation. No differences were found in the general population for depressive symptoms and household assistance received and provided. During the period of containment measures, changes to the health situation beyond the occurrence of infections can be observed. However, a more differentiated explanation of these findings will require further analyses.