Depression, anxiety and PTSD symptoms before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK

K. S. Young; K. L. Purves; C. Hübel; M. R. Davies; K. N. Thompson; S. Bristow; G. Krebs; A. Danese; C. Hirsch; C. E. Parsons; E. Vassos; B. N. Adey; S. Bright; L. Hegemann; Y. T. Lee; G. Kalsi; D. Monssen; J. Mundy; A. J. Peel; C. Rayner; H. C. Rogers; A. Ter Kuile; C. Ward; K. York; Y. Lin; A. B. Palmos; U. Schmidt; D. Veale; T. R. Nicholson; T. A. Pollak; S. A.M. Stevelink; T. Moukhtarian; A. R. Martineau; H. Holt; B. Maughan; A. Al-Chalabi; K. Ray Chaudhuri; M. P. Richardson; J. R. Bradley; P. F. Chinnery; N. Kingston; S. Papadia; K. E. Stirrups; R. Linger; M. Hotopf; T. C. Eley; G. Breen

doi:10.1017/S0033291722002501

Depression, anxiety and PTSD symptoms before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK

K. S. Young, K. L. Purves, C. Hübel, M. R. Davies, K. N. Thompson, S. Bristow, G. Krebs, A. Danese, C. Hirsch, C. E. Parsons, E. Vassos, B. N. Adey, S. Bright, L. Hegemann, Y. T. Lee, G. Kalsi, D. Monssen, J. Mundy, A. J. Peel, C. RaynerH. C. Rogers, A. Ter Kuile, C. Ward, K. York, Y. Lin, A. B. Palmos, U. Schmidt, D. Veale, T. R. Nicholson, T. A. Pollak, S. A.M. Stevelink, T. Moukhtarian, A. R. Martineau, H. Holt, B. Maughan, A. Al-Chalabi, K. Ray Chaudhuri, M. P. Richardson, J. R. Bradley, P. F. Chinnery, N. Kingston, S. Papadia, K. E. Stirrups, R. Linger, M. Hotopf, T. C. Eley, G. Breen^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

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Abstract

Background: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health is still being unravelled. It is important to identify which individuals are at greatest risk of worsening symptoms. This study aimed to examine changes in depression, anxiety and PTSD symptoms using prospective and retrospective symptom change assessments, and to find and examine the effect of key risk factors. Method: Online questionnaires were administered to 34,465 individuals (aged 16 years or above) in April/May 2020 in the UK, recruited from existing cohorts or via social media. Around one third (n = 12,718) of included participants had prior diagnoses of depression or anxiety and had completed pre-pandemic mental health assessments (between September 2018-February 2020), allowing prospective investigation of symptom change. Results: Prospective symptom analyses showed small decreases in depression (PHQ-9:-.43 points) and anxiety (GAD-7:-.33 points) and increases in PTSD (PCL-6: .22 points). Conversely, retrospective symptom analyses demonstrated significant large increases (PHQ-9: 2.40; GAD-7 = 1.97), with 55% reported worsening mental health since the beginning of the pandemic on a global change rating. Across both prospective and retrospective measures of symptom change, worsening depression, anxiety and PTSD symptoms were associated with prior mental health diagnoses, female gender, young age, and unemployed/student status. Conclusions: We highlight the effect of prior mental health diagnoses on worsening mental health during the pandemic and confirm previously-reported sociodemographic risk factors. Discrepancies between prospective and retrospective measures of changes in mental health may be related to recall bias related underestimation of prior symptom severity.

Original language	English
Journal	Psychological Medicine
Early online date	26 Jul 2022
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291722002501
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 26 Jul 2022

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Young, K. S., Purves, K. L., Hübel, C., Davies, M. R., Thompson, K. N., Bristow, S., Krebs, G., Danese, A., Hirsch, C., Parsons, C. E., Vassos, E., Adey, B. N., Bright, S., Hegemann, L., Lee, Y. T., Kalsi, G., Monssen, D., Mundy, J., Peel, A. J., ... Breen, G. (2022). Depression, anxiety and PTSD symptoms before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK. Psychological Medicine. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291722002501

@article{4abacea7b245407c908b7e0c12f99e36,

title = "Depression, anxiety and PTSD symptoms before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK",

abstract = "Background: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health is still being unravelled. It is important to identify which individuals are at greatest risk of worsening symptoms. This study aimed to examine changes in depression, anxiety and PTSD symptoms using prospective and retrospective symptom change assessments, and to find and examine the effect of key risk factors. Method: Online questionnaires were administered to 34,465 individuals (aged 16 years or above) in April/May 2020 in the UK, recruited from existing cohorts or via social media. Around one third (n = 12,718) of included participants had prior diagnoses of depression or anxiety and had completed pre-pandemic mental health assessments (between September 2018-February 2020), allowing prospective investigation of symptom change. Results: Prospective symptom analyses showed small decreases in depression (PHQ-9:-.43 points) and anxiety (GAD-7:-.33 points) and increases in PTSD (PCL-6: .22 points). Conversely, retrospective symptom analyses demonstrated significant large increases (PHQ-9: 2.40; GAD-7 = 1.97), with 55% reported worsening mental health since the beginning of the pandemic on a global change rating. Across both prospective and retrospective measures of symptom change, worsening depression, anxiety and PTSD symptoms were associated with prior mental health diagnoses, female gender, young age, and unemployed/student status. Conclusions: We highlight the effect of prior mental health diagnoses on worsening mental health during the pandemic and confirm previously-reported sociodemographic risk factors. Discrepancies between prospective and retrospective measures of changes in mental health may be related to recall bias related underestimation of prior symptom severity.",

author = "Young, {K. S.} and Purves, {K. L.} and C. H{\"u}bel and Davies, {M. R.} and Thompson, {K. N.} and S. Bristow and G. Krebs and A. Danese and C. Hirsch and Parsons, {C. E.} and E. Vassos and Adey, {B. N.} and S. Bright and L. Hegemann and Lee, {Y. T.} and G. Kalsi and D. Monssen and J. Mundy and Peel, {A. J.} and C. Rayner and Rogers, {H. C.} and {Ter Kuile}, A. and C. Ward and K. York and Y. Lin and Palmos, {A. B.} and U. Schmidt and D. Veale and Nicholson, {T. R.} and Pollak, {T. A.} and Stevelink, {S. A.M.} and T. Moukhtarian and Martineau, {A. R.} and H. Holt and B. Maughan and A. Al-Chalabi and Chaudhuri, {K. Ray} and Richardson, {M. P.} and Bradley, {J. R.} and Chinnery, {P. F.} and N. Kingston and S. Papadia and Stirrups, {K. E.} and R. Linger and M. Hotopf and Eley, {T. C.} and G. Breen",

year = "2022",

month = jul,

day = "26",

doi = "10.1017/S0033291722002501",

language = "English",

journal = "Psychological Medicine",

issn = "0033-2917",

publisher = "Cambridge University Press",

}

Young, KS , Purves, KL , Hübel, C , Davies, MR , Thompson, KN , Bristow, S , Krebs, G , Danese, A , Hirsch, C, Parsons, CE, Vassos, E , Adey, BN, Bright, S, Hegemann, L, Lee, YT, Kalsi, G , Monssen, D , Mundy, J , Peel, AJ , Rayner, C , Rogers, HC , Ter Kuile, A , Ward, C , York, K , Lin, Y , Palmos, AB , Schmidt, U , Veale, D , Nicholson, TR , Pollak, TA , Stevelink, SAM , Moukhtarian, T, Martineau, AR, Holt, H, Maughan, B , Al-Chalabi, A , Chaudhuri, KR , Richardson, MP, Bradley, JR, Chinnery, PF, Kingston, N, Papadia, S, Stirrups, KE, Linger, R, Hotopf, M , Eley, TC & Breen, G 2022, 'Depression, anxiety and PTSD symptoms before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK', Psychological Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291722002501

TY - JOUR

T1 - Depression, anxiety and PTSD symptoms before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK

AU - Young, K. S.

AU - Purves, K. L.

AU - Hübel, C.

AU - Davies, M. R.

AU - Thompson, K. N.

AU - Bristow, S.

AU - Krebs, G.

AU - Danese, A.

AU - Hirsch, C.

AU - Parsons, C. E.

AU - Vassos, E.

AU - Adey, B. N.

AU - Bright, S.

AU - Hegemann, L.

AU - Lee, Y. T.

AU - Kalsi, G.

AU - Monssen, D.

AU - Mundy, J.

AU - Peel, A. J.

AU - Rayner, C.

AU - Rogers, H. C.

AU - Ter Kuile, A.

AU - Ward, C.

AU - York, K.

AU - Lin, Y.

AU - Palmos, A. B.

AU - Schmidt, U.

AU - Veale, D.

AU - Nicholson, T. R.

AU - Pollak, T. A.

AU - Stevelink, S. A.M.

AU - Moukhtarian, T.

AU - Martineau, A. R.

AU - Holt, H.

AU - Maughan, B.

AU - Al-Chalabi, A.

AU - Chaudhuri, K. Ray

AU - Richardson, M. P.

AU - Bradley, J. R.

AU - Chinnery, P. F.

AU - Kingston, N.

AU - Papadia, S.

AU - Stirrups, K. E.

AU - Linger, R.

AU - Hotopf, M.

AU - Eley, T. C.

AU - Breen, G.

PY - 2022/7/26

Y1 - 2022/7/26

N2 - Background: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health is still being unravelled. It is important to identify which individuals are at greatest risk of worsening symptoms. This study aimed to examine changes in depression, anxiety and PTSD symptoms using prospective and retrospective symptom change assessments, and to find and examine the effect of key risk factors. Method: Online questionnaires were administered to 34,465 individuals (aged 16 years or above) in April/May 2020 in the UK, recruited from existing cohorts or via social media. Around one third (n = 12,718) of included participants had prior diagnoses of depression or anxiety and had completed pre-pandemic mental health assessments (between September 2018-February 2020), allowing prospective investigation of symptom change. Results: Prospective symptom analyses showed small decreases in depression (PHQ-9:-.43 points) and anxiety (GAD-7:-.33 points) and increases in PTSD (PCL-6: .22 points). Conversely, retrospective symptom analyses demonstrated significant large increases (PHQ-9: 2.40; GAD-7 = 1.97), with 55% reported worsening mental health since the beginning of the pandemic on a global change rating. Across both prospective and retrospective measures of symptom change, worsening depression, anxiety and PTSD symptoms were associated with prior mental health diagnoses, female gender, young age, and unemployed/student status. Conclusions: We highlight the effect of prior mental health diagnoses on worsening mental health during the pandemic and confirm previously-reported sociodemographic risk factors. Discrepancies between prospective and retrospective measures of changes in mental health may be related to recall bias related underestimation of prior symptom severity.

AB - Background: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health is still being unravelled. It is important to identify which individuals are at greatest risk of worsening symptoms. This study aimed to examine changes in depression, anxiety and PTSD symptoms using prospective and retrospective symptom change assessments, and to find and examine the effect of key risk factors. Method: Online questionnaires were administered to 34,465 individuals (aged 16 years or above) in April/May 2020 in the UK, recruited from existing cohorts or via social media. Around one third (n = 12,718) of included participants had prior diagnoses of depression or anxiety and had completed pre-pandemic mental health assessments (between September 2018-February 2020), allowing prospective investigation of symptom change. Results: Prospective symptom analyses showed small decreases in depression (PHQ-9:-.43 points) and anxiety (GAD-7:-.33 points) and increases in PTSD (PCL-6: .22 points). Conversely, retrospective symptom analyses demonstrated significant large increases (PHQ-9: 2.40; GAD-7 = 1.97), with 55% reported worsening mental health since the beginning of the pandemic on a global change rating. Across both prospective and retrospective measures of symptom change, worsening depression, anxiety and PTSD symptoms were associated with prior mental health diagnoses, female gender, young age, and unemployed/student status. Conclusions: We highlight the effect of prior mental health diagnoses on worsening mental health during the pandemic and confirm previously-reported sociodemographic risk factors. Discrepancies between prospective and retrospective measures of changes in mental health may be related to recall bias related underestimation of prior symptom severity.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85135601980&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1017/S0033291722002501

DO - 10.1017/S0033291722002501

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85135601980

SN - 0033-2917

JO - Psychological Medicine

JF - Psychological Medicine

ER -

Depression, anxiety and PTSD symptoms before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK

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