ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To examine the impact of relationship status on levels of stress, anxiety, and depression during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic to identify relationship status groups who are at greater risk of mental health difficulties. METHODS: The sample was drawn from individuals who subscribed to the Text4Hope program, a cognitive behavioral therapy inspired text messaging service developed to support Albertans during the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey link was sent to the subscribers to ascertain their relationship status and assess psychopathology using the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10), Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scale, and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Data analysis was carried out using SPSS-26 for descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Within the first 6 weeks of the pandemic, 8267 of 44·992 subscribers responded to the online survey giving a response rate of 19.4%. Mean scores on the PSS, GAD-7, and PHQ-9 were highest among those who were single and lowest among those who were widowed. Overall, mean scores on the PHQ-9 were higher in groups who self-identified as separated or divorced when compared with groups who identified as having partners, including the categories of married or cohabiting. CONCLUSIONS: Relationship status during the COVID-19 pandemic has an influence on the mental health of individuals. Our findings highlight relationship groups at risk of mental health problems during the pandemic and for whom treatments and mitigation should be targeted.
Subject(s)
Anxiety/epidemiology , COVID-19 , Indigenous Canadians/statistics & numerical data , Sexual and Gender Minorities/statistics & numerical data , Social Support , Text Messaging , Adult , Age Factors , Alberta/epidemiology , Anxiety/ethnology , Anxiety/psychology , Canada/epidemiology , Cognitive Behavioral Therapy , Educational Status , Female , Humans , Indigenous Canadians/psychology , Logistic Models , Male , Middle Aged , Patient Health Questionnaire , Prevalence , Residence Characteristics/statistics & numerical data , SARS-CoV-2 , Severity of Illness Index , Sexual and Gender Minorities/psychology , Young AdultABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The spread of COVID-19 along with strict public health measures have resulted in unintended adverse effects, including greater levels of distress, anxiety, and depression. This study examined relative presentations of these psychopathologies in different age groups in a Canadian cohort during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODOLOGY: Participants were subscribers to the Text4Hope program, developed to support Albertans during the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey link was used to gather demographic information and responses on several self-report scales, such as Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scale, and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). RESULTS: There were 8267 individuals who completed the survey, giving a response rate of 19.4%. Overall, 909 (11.0%) respondents identified as ≤25 years, 2939 (35.6%) identified as (26-40) years, 3431 (41.5%) identified as (41-60) years, 762 (9.2%) identified as over 60 years, and 226 (2.7%) did not identify their age. Mean scores on the PSS, GAD-7, and PHQ-9 scales were highest among those aged ≤25 and lowest amongst those aged >60 years old. CONCLUSIONS: The finding that the prevalence rates and the mean scores for stress, anxiety, and depression on standardized scales to decrease from younger to older subscribers is an interesting observation with potential implications for planning to meet mental health service needs during COVID-19.