Changes in the prevalence of mental health problems during the first year of the pandemic: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis

the MHCOVID Crowd Investigators

Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Aim To describe the pattern of the prevalence of mental health problems during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic and examine the impact of containment measures on these trends. Methods We identified articles published until 30 August 2021 that reported the prevalence of mental health problems in the general population at two or more time points. A crowd of 114 reviewers extracted data on prevalence, study and participant characteristics. We collected information on the number of days since the first SARS-CoV-2 infection in the study country, the stringency of containment measures and the number of cases and deaths. We synthesised changes in prevalence during the pandemic using a random-effects model. We used dose-response meta-analysis to evaluate the trajectory of the changes in mental health problems. Results We included 41 studies for 7 mental health conditions. The average odds of symptoms increased during the pandemic (mean OR ranging from 1.23 to 2.08). Heterogeneity was very large and could not be explained by differences in participants or study characteristics. Average odds of psychological distress, depression and anxiety increased during the first 2 months of the pandemic, with increased stringency of the measures, reported infections and deaths. The confidence in the evidence was low to very low. Conclusions We observed an initial increase in the average risk of psychological distress, depression-related and anxiety-related problems during the first 2 months of the pandemic. However, large heterogeneity suggests that different populations had different responses to the challenges imposed by the pandemic.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere301018
Pages (from-to)1-8
Number of pages8
JournalBMJ Mental Health
Volume27
Issue number1
Early online date13 Jun 2024
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 BMJ Publishing Group. All rights reserved.

Funding

FundersFunder number
University of Navarra
MCIN
AEI
NIHR Oxford and Thames Valley
2022-2023 Institute for Culture and Society
Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
ESF
ICS
CNPq
National Health Service32FP30-189498, 193381, MC_UU_00004/06
NIHR Applied Research Collaboration Oxford Thames ValleyBRC-1215-20005
NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research CentreNIHR203316
NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre
Ramon y Cajal030744, RYC2020
Department of Health Planning0011-3638-2020-000010
Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen ForschungNr 198418
Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung
National Institute for Health and Care ResearchRP-2017-08-ST2-006
National Institute for Health and Care Research

    Keywords

    • COVID-19
    • Data Interpretation, Statistical
    • Depression

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