Multimorbidity worsened anxiety and depression symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil

• Published in: Journal of affective disorders 2022-10, Vol.314, p.86-93
• Main Authors: Castro-de-Araujo, Luis Fernando Silva, Rodrigues, Elisângela da Silva, Machado, Daiane Borges, Henriques, Claudio Maierovitch Pessanha, Verotti, Mariana Pastorello, Gonçalves, Alessandra Queiroga, Duarte-Salles, Talita, Kanaan, Richard A., Barreto, Mauricio Lima, Lewis, Glyn, Barbosa, Jakeline Ribeiro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anxiety; Anxiety - diagnosis; Anxiety - epidemiology; Brazil - epidemiology; Chronic Disease; Chronic diseases; Covid-19; COVID-19 - epidemiology; Depression; Depression - diagnosis; Depression - epidemiology; Epidemiology; Female; Humans; Male; Mental disorders; Multimorbidity; Pandemic; Pandemics; Physical exercises; Quality of Life; Research Paper
• ISSN: 0165-0327; 1573-2517
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.07.005

Multimorbidity is a global health issue impacting the quality of life of all ages. Multimorbidity with a mental disorder is little studied and is likely to have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. We used a survey of 14,007 respondents living in Brazil to investigate whether people who already had at least one chronic medical condition had more depression and anxiety symptoms during social distancing in 2020. Generalized linear models and structural equation modelling were used to estimate the effects. A 19 % and 15 % increase in depressive symptoms were found in females and males, respectively, for each unit of increase in the observed value of reported chronic disease. Older subjects presented fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety. There was a 16 % increase in anxiety symptoms in females for each unit increase in the reported chronic disease variable and a 14 % increase in males. Younger subjects were more affected by anxiety symptoms in a dose-response fashion. High income was significantly related to fewer depressive and anxiety symptoms in both males and females. Physical activity was significantly associated with fewer anxiety and depression symptoms. Structural equation modelling confirmed these results and provided further insight into the hypothesised paths. •To evaluate if the presence of chronic diseases rises the risk of reporting anxiety or depression symptoms in the pandemic•It was found that this association existed and was significant for both anxiety and depressive symptoms•High income was significantly related to fewer depressive and anxiety symptoms in both males and females