RESUMO
Buscou-se avaliar a frequência de ansiedade e depressão e seus fatores associados ao longo da pandemia de COVID-19. Estudo transversal exploratório envolvendo 1.057 participantes, sendo aplicados os questionários GAD-7 e PHQ-9, através de Plataforma Google Forms, com amostragem bola de neve. A média de idade foi de 38 ± 14 anos, sendo 78% mulheres, provindos de 21 Estados brasileiros. Quarenta e dois por cento dos participantes tiveram escore GAD-7 ≥ 10, cerca de 53% teve escore PHQ-9 ≥ 10. Principais fatores de risco incluíram: gênero feminino, ser jovem, casado ou com companheiro, consumir bebidas alcoólicas, problemas psiquiátricos prévios, utilizar medicação para dormir, dormir menos de 8 horas, percepção negativa sobre COVID-19, estar em isolamento social, pesadelos frequentes e ideação suicida. O Brasil mantém-se com altos níveis de ansiedade e depressão durante a pandemia em associação com ideação suicida.
Anxiety and depression disorders are associated with professional and academic impairment and reduced life quality. Frequency of symptoms of anxiety and depression, and their association with health risk behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic are evaluated. Cross-sectional study comprised 1,057 participants, 78% females, mean age 38±14 years, from 21 different Brazilian states. GAD-7 and PHQ-9 inventories were applied by Google Forms, with snowball sampling. Forty-two percent of the participants had a GAD-7 score ≥ 10, while 53% had a PHQ-9 score ≥ 10. Main risk factors comprised: being female, young, married or with partner, consuming alcoholic beverages, having previous psychiatric problems, taking sleeping pills, sleeping less than 8 hours, having a negative perception about COVID-19, staying isolated, having frequent nightmares and suicide thoughts. Brazil is a country featuring high levels of symptoms of anxiety and depression, significantly associated with suicide thoughts.
RESUMO
The year 2020 has generated profound changes in personal and working relations, and in dreams of millions of people worldwide. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency and content of nightmares during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil, evaluating its associations with sociodemographic, occupational, and clinical factors. Cross-sectional exploratory study, including 1,057 participants who responded to an online survey about mental violence and nightmares during the pandemic, between May 25 and June 1, 2020. A descriptive analysis of the results was done to obtain frequency tables. McNemar's non-parametric test was used to compare the frequency of nightmares before and after the pandemic, and logistic regression models, to identify factors most strongly associated with the pandemic nightmares. Participants were from 21 Brazilian states, with a mean age of 38 ± 14 years, and 78% women. Half of them (n = 529) reported at least one nightmare episode during the pandemic, and 32.9% (n = 348) described a pandemic content. There was nearly a 3-fold increase in the occurrence of nightmares "once a week or more" during the pandemic, 9% before vs. 25% after. Prior psychiatric care, suicidal ideation, sleep medication, increased pandemic alcohol consumption, perceiving high risk of contamination, being woman, and of younger age were factors associated with having nightmares during the pandemic. Prior psychiatric care, sleep medication, and age remained significant after excluding participants without nightmares and comparing between individuals with and without a pandemic content. We conclude the COVID-19 pandemic has affected people's dreams. The increase in the frequency of nightmares, their pandemic content, and association with previous conditions are a concerning public mental health issue and should be taken into consideration by authorities and policy makers.
