Changes in anxiety and depression in patients with different income levels through the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

BackgroundLower socioeconomic status is known to be associated with high mental health burden, there have been few epidemiological studies showing how socioeconomic status has modified the effect of COVID-19 on anxiety and depression. MethodsWe analyzed data from the National Health Interview Survey in the United States between 2019 and 2021 and used respondents with a documented income-to-poverty ratio as a measure of income level (n = 79,468). We used frequency of medication use and self-reported frequency of anxious and depressive episodes as the main outcome measures. We performed a multivariable logistic regression with a two-way interaction term between income and survey year. ResultsWe found a statistically significant worsening of depression and anxiety metrics in respondents with higher income levels from 2019 to 2021. We did not observe a significant change in anxiety and depression metrics for low-income respondents over the same period. LimitationsThe data from the NHIS survey is limited primarily by sampling bias (response rate of 50.7 % in 2021), as well as the self-reported nature of the one of the outcome measures. ConclusionThese findings suggest that, within the limits of the National Health Interview Survey, mental health outcomes were worse but stable in a socioeconomically disadvantaged demographic between 2019 and 2021. In a higher socioeconomic bracket, mental health outcomes were less severe than the disadvantaged demographic but were worsening at a greater rate.