Abstract
Background: The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has contributed to depression and anxiety among the general population in China. The purpose of this study is to investigate the prevalence and associated factors of these psychological problems among Chinese adults during the period of low transmission, which could reflect the long-term depression and anxiety of the COVID-19 outbreak.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in China from 4 to 26 February 2021. Convenient sampling strategy was adopted to recruit participators. Participants were asked to filled out the questions that assessed questionnaire on the residents’ depression and anxiety.Results: A total of 2,361 residents filled out the questionnaire. The mean age was 29.72 years (SD = 6.94) and majority of respondents were female (60.10%). Among the respondents, 421 (17.83%), 1470 (62.26%), and 470 (19.91%) were from eastern, central, and western China, respectively. 1704 (72.17%) consented COVID-19 information has been disclosed timely. 142 (6.01%) and 130 (5.51%) patients suffered from depression and anxiety symptoms. Furthermore, some influencing factors were found, including marital status, place of residence, employment status.Conclusion: This study revealed that anxiety and depression still are potential depression and anxiety for some residents, which suggested early recognition and initiation of interventions during the period of low transmission is still indispensable.
Highlights
The COVID-19 epidemic was first detected in China at the end of December 2019, when unexplained cases of clustered pneumonia were detected (Nishiura et al, 2020)
We found that 142 (6.01%) and 130 (5.51%) patients suffered from depression and anxiety symptoms
Because of the urgent need to control the spread of this epidemic, one of WHO’s main recommendations is to implement social distancing procedures, which involve minimizing social and physical contact between people, making it impossible for older people to participate in various social activities, which may increase the risk of psychological problems (Williams et al, 2020)
Summary
The COVID-19 epidemic was first detected in China at the end of December 2019, when unexplained cases of clustered pneumonia were detected (Nishiura et al, 2020). The Chinese New Year holiday, which coincides with the COVID-19 outbreak, is one of the most festive times of the year in China, causing mass panic when the virus was declared “human-to-human transmission” (Vella et al, 2020). The Chinese government has responded quickly, imposing a lockdown and travel restrictions on Wuhan on January 23, an unprecedented move to contain the spread of the epidemic. Timely psychological assessment and appropriate intervention are necessary measures to prevent depressive and anxiety. The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has contributed to depression and anxiety among the general population in China. The purpose of this study is to investigate the prevalence and associated factors of these psychological problems among Chinese adults during the period of low transmission, which could reflect the long-term depression and anxiety of the COVID-19 outbreak
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