The impact of COVID-19-pandemic-related adversity on mental health: longitudinal study in Dutch populations with and without mental health disorders

• Published in: BJPsych open 2023-10, Vol.9 (6), p.e181-e181, Article e181
• Main Authors: Maran, Patricia Laura, Klokgieters, Silvia S., Giltay, Erik J., van Oppen, Patricia, Jörg, Frederike, Eikelenboom, Merijn, Rius Ottenheim, Nathaly, Penninx, Brenda W. J. H., Kok, Almar A. L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Academic Psychiatry; adversity; Anxiety; Cohort analysis; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 pandemic; depression; Infections; Loneliness; Longitudinal studies; Mental depression; Mental disorders; Mental health; Older people; Pandemics; Patients; Primary care; Quarantine; Stress
• ISSN: 2056-4724; 2056-4724
• DOI: 10.1192/bjo.2023.571

BackgroundDespite growing concerns about mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in people with pre-existing mental health disorders, research has shown that symptoms of depression and anxiety were generally quite stable, with modest changes in certain subgroups. However, individual differences in cumulative exposure to COVID-19 stressors have not been yet considered.AimsWe aimed to quantify and investigate the impact of individual-level cumulative exposure to COVID-19-pandemic-related adversity on changes in depressive and anxiety symptoms and loneliness. In addition, we examined whether the impact differed among individuals with various levels of pre-pandemic chronicity of mental health disorders.MethodBetween April 2020 and July 2021, 15 successive online questionnaires were distributed among three psychiatric case–control cohorts that started in the 2000s (N = 1377). Outcomes included depressive and anxiety symptoms and loneliness. We developed a COVID-19 Adversity Index (CAI) summarising up to 15 repeated measures of COVID-19-pandemic-related exposures (e.g. exposure to COVID-19 infection, negative economic impact and quarantine). We used linear mixed linear models to estimate the effects of COVID-19-related adversity on mental health and its interaction with pre-pandemic chronicity of mental health disorders and CAI.ResultsHigher CAI scores were positively associated with higher increases in depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms and loneliness. Associations were not statistically significantly different between groups with and without (chronic) pre-pandemic mental health disorders.ConclusionsIndividual differences in cumulative exposure to COVID-19-pandemic-related adversity are important predictors of mental health, but we found no evidence for higher vulnerability among people with (chronic) pre-pandemic mental health disorders.