Depression treatment
How was UK mental health in the first COVID lockdown weeks?
Open access · cc by-nc · source: Europe PMC
Among 3097 UK adults in April 2020, depression, anxiety, and stress exceeded population norms, especially in younger people, women, and COVID-19 risk groups.
Study at a glance
- Design
- Cross-sectional — Cross-sectional online survey from a UK community cohort recruited 3–30 April 2020, in the first 4–6 weeks of social distancing.
- N
- N=3097 · 3097 adults ≥18 years; 2618 (84.5%) female; 1559 key workers; 649 with COVID-19 clinical risk factors.
- Population
- Self-selected UK adults recruited via mainstream and social media during the first COVID-19 lockdown wave.
- Outcome
- PHQ-9 depression, GAD-7 anxiety, and PSS-4 stress versus population norms, plus associated non-modifiable and modifiable factors.
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Key findings
Mean PHQ-9 was 7.69 vs norm 2.91; GAD-7 6.59 vs 2.95; PSS-4 6.48 vs 6.11 (all p<0.0001). Younger age, female sex, and being in a recognised COVID-19 risk group tracked higher scores. Positive mood, loneliness, and worry about catching COVID-19 independently explained outcomes; full models accounted for 54–57% of variance vs 7–14% for demographics alone.
Methodology
Ran a cross-sectional online survey in a community cohort (3–30 April 2020), scored PHQ-9, GAD-7, and PSS-4, compared means with norms, and modelled non-modifiable then modifiable correlates.
Limitations
A self-selected, 85% female online sample cannot prove lockdown caused the scores, and a cross-section cannot show who recovered later.
How this study connects
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