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Results of the COVID-19 mental health international for the general population (COMET-G) study.

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Fountoulakis, Konstantinos N 
Karakatsoulis, Grigorios 
Abraham, Seri 
Adorjan, Kristina 
Ahmed, Helal Uddin 

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: There are few published empirical data on the effects of COVID-19 on mental health, and until now, there is no large international study. MATERIAL AND METHODS: During the COVID-19 pandemic, an online questionnaire gathered data from 55,589 participants from 40 countries (64.85% females aged 35.80 ± 13.61; 34.05% males aged 34.90±13.29 and 1.10% other aged 31.64±13.15). Distress and probable depression were identified with the use of a previously developed cut-off and algorithm respectively. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Descriptive statistics were calculated. Chi-square tests, multiple forward stepwise linear regression analyses and Factorial Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) tested relations among variables. RESULTS: Probable depression was detected in 17.80% and distress in 16.71%. A significant percentage reported a deterioration in mental state, family dynamics and everyday lifestyle. Persons with a history of mental disorders had higher rates of current depression (31.82% vs. 13.07%). At least half of participants were accepting (at least to a moderate degree) a non-bizarre conspiracy. The highest Relative Risk (RR) to develop depression was associated with history of Bipolar disorder and self-harm/attempts (RR = 5.88). Suicidality was not increased in persons without a history of any mental disorder. Based on these results a model was developed. CONCLUSIONS: The final model revealed multiple vulnerabilities and an interplay leading from simple anxiety to probable depression and suicidality through distress. This could be of practical utility since many of these factors are modifiable. Future research and interventions should specifically focus on them.

Description

Keywords

Anxiety, COVID-19, Conspiracy theories, Depression, Mental disorders, Mental health, Psychiatry, Suicidality, Adult, Anxiety, COVID-19, Depression, Female, Global Burden of Disease, Humans, Male, Mental Health, Middle Aged, Pandemics, SARS-CoV-2, Stress, Psychological, Suicidal Ideation

Journal Title

Eur Neuropsychopharmacol

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0924-977X
1873-7862

Volume Title

54

Publisher

Elsevier BV