TY - JOUR
T1 - Mental health before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in two longitudinal UK population cohorts
AU - Kwong, Alex S.F.
AU - Pearson, Rebecca M.
AU - Adams, Mark J.
AU - Northstone, Kate
AU - Tilling, Kate
AU - Smith, Daniel
AU - Fawns-Ritchie, Chloe
AU - Bould, Helen
AU - Warne, Naomi
AU - Zammit, Stanley
AU - Gunnell, David J.
AU - Moran, Paul A.
AU - Micali, Nadia
AU - Reichenberg, Abraham
AU - Hickman, Matthew
AU - Rai, Dheeraj
AU - Haworth, Simon
AU - Campbell, Archie
AU - Altschul, Drew
AU - Flaig, Robin
AU - McIntosh, Andrew M.
AU - Lawlor, Deborah A.
AU - Porteous, David
AU - Timpson, Nicholas J.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
PY - 2021/6
Y1 - 2021/6
N2 - Background The COVID-19 pandemic and mitigation measures are likely to have a marked effect on mental health. It is important to use longitudinal data to improve inferences. Aims To quantify the prevalence of depression, anxiety and mental well-being before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, to identify groups at risk of depression and/or anxiety during the pandemic. Method Data were from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) index generation (n = 2850, mean age 28 years) and parent generation (n = 3720, mean age 59 years), and Generation Scotland (n = 4233, mean age 59 years). Depression was measured with the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire in ALSPAC and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 in Generation Scotland. Anxiety and mental well-being were measured with the Generalised Anxiety Disorder Assessment-7 and the Short Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale. Results Depression during the pandemic was similar to pre-pandemic levels in the ALSPAC index generation, but those experiencing anxiety had almost doubled, at 24% (95% CI 23-26%) compared with a pre-pandemic level of 13% (95% CI 12-14%). In both studies, anxiety and depression during the pandemic was greater in younger members, women, those with pre-existing mental/physical health conditions and individuals in socioeconomic adversity, even when controlling for pre-pandemic anxiety and depression. Conclusions These results provide evidence for increased anxiety in young people that is coincident with the pandemic. Specific groups are at elevated risk of depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is important for planning current mental health provisions and for long-term impact beyond this pandemic.
AB - Background The COVID-19 pandemic and mitigation measures are likely to have a marked effect on mental health. It is important to use longitudinal data to improve inferences. Aims To quantify the prevalence of depression, anxiety and mental well-being before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, to identify groups at risk of depression and/or anxiety during the pandemic. Method Data were from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) index generation (n = 2850, mean age 28 years) and parent generation (n = 3720, mean age 59 years), and Generation Scotland (n = 4233, mean age 59 years). Depression was measured with the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire in ALSPAC and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 in Generation Scotland. Anxiety and mental well-being were measured with the Generalised Anxiety Disorder Assessment-7 and the Short Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale. Results Depression during the pandemic was similar to pre-pandemic levels in the ALSPAC index generation, but those experiencing anxiety had almost doubled, at 24% (95% CI 23-26%) compared with a pre-pandemic level of 13% (95% CI 12-14%). In both studies, anxiety and depression during the pandemic was greater in younger members, women, those with pre-existing mental/physical health conditions and individuals in socioeconomic adversity, even when controlling for pre-pandemic anxiety and depression. Conclusions These results provide evidence for increased anxiety in young people that is coincident with the pandemic. Specific groups are at elevated risk of depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is important for planning current mental health provisions and for long-term impact beyond this pandemic.
KW - ALSPAC
KW - COVID-19
KW - anxiety disorders
KW - depressive disorders
KW - generation Scotland
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85106920865&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1192/bjp.2020.242
DO - 10.1192/bjp.2020.242
M3 - Article
C2 - 33228822
AN - SCOPUS:85106920865
SN - 0007-1250
VL - 218
SP - 334
EP - 343
JO - British Journal of Psychiatry
JF - British Journal of Psychiatry
IS - 6
ER -