Abstract
The COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic is a collective stressor unfolding over time; yet, rigorous empirical studies addressing its mental health consequences among large probability-based national samples are rare. Between 18 March and 18 April 2020, as illness and death escalated in the United States, we assessed acute stress, depressive symptoms, and direct, community, and media-based exposures to COVID-19 in three consecutive representative samples from the U.S. probability-based nationally representative NORC AmeriSpeak panel across three 10-day periods (total N = 6514). Acute stress and depressive symptoms increased significantly over time as COVID-19 deaths increased across the United States. Preexisting mental and physical health diagnoses, daily COVID-19-related media exposure, conflicting COVID-19 information in media, and secondary stressors were all associated with acute stress and depressive symptoms. Results have implications for targeting public health interventions and risk communication efforts to promote community resilience as the pandemic waxes and wanes over time.
Highlights
As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds across the world, the scientific community has focused on understanding the transmission, biology, and treatment of the novel coronavirus [SARS-CoV-2]
17.3% lived in the Northeast region of the United States, 21.0% lived in the Midwest, 37.7% lived in the South, and 24.1% lived in the West
Before the COVID-19 outbreak, participants reported a mean of 1.04 physical health ailments (SD = 1.22), and 17.7% of the sample reported being previously diagnosed with a mental health ailment by a physician
Summary
As the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic unfolds across the world, the scientific community has focused on understanding the transmission, biology, and treatment of the novel coronavirus [SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2)]. COVID-19 has left hundreds of millions of people at risk for serious illness or death [3], isolated in their homes [4], and without jobs or income. These circumstances place people living with anxiety, depression, or other mental health challenges at especially high risk for worsening symptoms and suicide [2, 5,6,7]. Conflicting messages in the media may further exacerbate stress [16], especially in the context of coping with life-threatening circumstances that could worsen as the pandemic unfolds over time
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