Long-Term Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health among the General Public: A Nationwide Longitudinal Study in China.
Int J Environ Res Public Health
; 18(16)2021 08 20.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1367832
ABSTRACT
COVID-19 might have long-term mental health impacts. We aim to investigate the longitudinal changes in mental problems from initial COVID-19 peak to its aftermath among general public in China. Depression, anxiety and insomnia were assessed among a large-sample nationwide cohort of 10,492 adults during the initial COVID-19 peak (28 February 2020 to 11 March 2020) and its aftermath (8 July 2020 to 8 August 2020) using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, and Insomnia Severity Index. We used generalized estimating equations and linear mixed models to explore factors associated with long-term mental health symptoms during COVID-19. During the five months, mental health symptoms remained consistently elevated (baseline 46.4%; follow-up 45.1%). Long-term depression, anxiety and insomnia were associated with several personal and work-related factors including quarantine (adjusted OR for any mental health symptoms 1.31, 95%CI 1.22-1.41, p < 0.001), increases in work burden after resuming work (1.77, 1.65-1.90, p < 0.001), occupational exposure risk to COVID-19 (1.26, 1.14-1.40, p < 0.001) and living in places severely affected by initial COVID-19 peak (1.21, 1.04-1.41, p = 0.01) or by a COVID-19 resurgence (1.38, 1.26-1.50, p < 0.001). Compliance with self-protection measures, such as wearing face masks (0.74, 0.61-0.90, p = 0.003), was associated with lower long-term risk of mental problems. The findings reveal a pronounced and prolonged mental health burden from the initial COVID-19 peak through to its aftermath in China. We should regularly monitor the mental health status of vulnerable populations throughout COVID-19.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Mental Health
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Cohort study
/
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Randomized controlled trials
Topics:
Long Covid
Limits:
Adult
/
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
Asia
Language:
English
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Ijerph18168790
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