Multimorbidity worsened anxiety and depression symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil.

Multimorbidity is a global health issue impacting the quality of life of all ages. Multimorbidity with a mental disorder is little studied and is likely to have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. We used a survey of 14,007 respondents living in Brazil to investigate whether people who already had at least one chronic medical condition had more depression and anxiety symptoms during social distancing in 2020. Generalized linear models and structural equation modelling were used to estimate the effects. A 19 % and 15 % increase in depressive symptoms were found in females and males, respectively, for each unit of increase in the observed value of reported chronic disease. Older subjects presented fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety. There was a 16 % increase in anxiety symptoms in females for each unit increase in the reported chronic disease variable and a 14 % increase in males. Younger subjects were more affected by anxiety symptoms in a dose-response fashion. High income was significantly related to fewer depressive and anxiety symptoms in both males and females. Physical activity was significantly associated with fewer anxiety and depression symptoms. Structural equation modelling confirmed these results and provided further insight into the hypothesised paths.

Crises dentro da crise: respostas, incertezas e desencontros no combate à pandemia da Covid-19 no Brasil

ABSTRACT The authors describe the organization, within the scope of Brazil’s Unified Health System, of the framework for responding to emergency public health situations, specifically the preparation for the onset of the pandemic caused by Sars-CoV-2 in Brazil. The contradictions of the State’s actions in the midst of a serious political-institutional crisis are discussed. The resistance to scientific knowledge in an environment of political conflict and growth of authoritarianism is represented in the dispute for narratives that support opposing proposals to face the crisis. Fake news feed the splitting and are confused with the federal government’s decision to hinder access to information. The denial of the gravity of the situation and the absence of a national action plan are even more exuberant at a time when the country becomes one of the epicenters of the covid-19 pandemic.