Psychosocial factors associated with depression and anxiety during COVID-19 pandemic among outpatients with depression

ABSTRACT

[Correction Notice An Erratum for this article was reported in Vol 23(1) of Anadolu Psikiyatri Dergisi (see record 2022-72055-007). In the original article, the second affiliation lacks information;therefore the information of ''Islamic Science University of Malaysia (USIM)'' has been added in parenthesis. The article has been updated in the journal's archive. You may access the updated article via the link below.] Objective: Long-term social distancing, isolation, and economic fallout may be significant psychological triggers during pandemic, such as COVID-19, especially for those with underlying psychiatric illness. This study was conducted to address the psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic among patients with depression based at a teaching hospital in Malaysia. Methods: This is a cross-sectional online study among patients with depression from University Malaya Medical Centre, using Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale-Self Assessment (MADRS-S), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP), and Social Media Addiction during COVID-19 Pandemic (SMACOP). Results: One hundred seventy-eight patients participated in this study. The mean total of the KAP score is 12.65 (SD = 2.65), with knowledge section (mean = 7.34 [SD = 2.13]), attitudes section (mean = 2.63 [SD = 0.58]), and practices section (mean = 2.69 [SD = 1.00]). They scored moderately on the MADRS-S (mean = 21.03 [SD = 4.62]) and ISI (mean = 20.25 [SD = 4.62]) but had high GAD-7 scores (mean = 16.8 (SD = 6.27]). From the multiple logistic regression analyses, depressive symptoms of greater severity (MADRS-S 18-34) are significantly associated with more severe insomnia (P < .001, adjusted OR = 9.101, 95% CI 3.613-22.924). Furthermore, the high anxiety level is associated with the younger age group (P = .029, Adjusted OR = 2.274, 95% CI 1.090-4.746), greater severity of insomnia (P < .001, Adjusted OR = 22.9, 95% CI 6.145-85.343), and higher risk of COVID-19 related social media addiction (P = .011, adjusted OR = 2.637, 95% CI 1.253-5.550). Conclusion: This study demonstrates the high levels of sleep disturbances and anxiety symptoms experienced by outpatients with depression during the COVID-19 pandemic. These are closely linked to the younger age group and at-risk social media addiction related to COVID-19. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)