COVID-19 raises mental health concerns in most women
According to a systemic review, in 2020, cases of major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders increased by 28% and 26%. Women were affected more than men, and younger people were more affected than older age groups. Countries with high COVID-19 infection rates and significant reductions in the movement of people as a consequence of measures such as lockdowns and school closures had the greatest increases in the prevalence of major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders.
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders which can increase the risk of other health outcomes such as suicide, were major contributors to the global burden of disease, affecting millions of men and women of all ages globally.
Lead author Dr Damian Santomauro, of the Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, University of Queensland, Australia, said: "Our findings highlight an urgent need to strengthen mental health systems to address the growing burden of major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders worldwide. Promoting mental wellbeing, targeting factors contributing to poor mental health that have been made worse by the pandemic, and improving treatment for those who develop a mental disorder should be central to efforts to improve support services."
A recent meta-analysis using a disease modelling meta-analysis tool indicates that increased COVID-19 infection rate and reduced movement of people were associated with increased prevalence of major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders, suggesting that countries hit hardest by the pandemic in 2020 had the greatest increases in the prevalence of the diseases.
In the absence of the pandemic, model estimates suggest there would have been 193 million cases of major depressive disorder (2,471 cases per 100,000 population) globally in 2020.
However, the analysis shows there were 246 million cases (3,153 per 100,000), an increase of 28% (an additional 53 million cases). In addition, more than 35 million of the other cases were in women, compared with 18 million in men.
Model estimates suggest there would have been 298 million cases of anxiety disorders (3,825 per 100,000 population) globally in 2020 had the pandemic not happened. The analysis indicates there were an estimated 374 million cases (4,802 per 100,000) during 2020, an increase of 26% (an additional 76 million cases). Almost 52 million of the additional cases were in women, compared with around 24 million in men.
Younger people were more affected by major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders in 2020 than older age groups. The additional prevalence of these disorders peaked among those aged 20-24 years (1,118 additional cases of major depressive disorder per 100,000 and 1,331 additional cases of anxiety disorders per 100,000) and declined with increasing age.
School closures and broader restrictions limit young people's ability to learn and interact with their peers, combined with the increased risk of unemployment, meaning that young people were also more heavily impacted by major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders during the pandemic. Therefore, policymakers must consider underlying factors such as these as part of measures to strengthen mental health services.
Source: The Lancet
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