Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12253/1497
Title: Anxiety and Depression in the Initial Stage of the COVID-19 Outbreak in a Portuguese Sample: Exploratory Study
Authors: José, Helena
Vieira, Cláudia
Costa, Emília
Matos, Filomena
Pacheco, Eusébio
Nave, Filipe
Valentim, Olga
Sousa, L.M.M.
Keywords: Anxiety
Depression
COVID-19
Social-isolation
Mental health
Issue Date: Feb-2023
Publisher: Healthcare
Citation: José, H.; Vieira, C.; Costa, E.; Matos, F.; Pacheco, E.; Nave, F.; Valentim, O.; Sousa, L.M.M. (2023). Anxiety and Depression in the Initial Stage of the COVID-19 Outbreak in a Portuguese Sample: Exploratory Study. Healthcare, 11, 659. https://doi.org/10.3390/ healthcare11050659.
Abstract: Background: In previous studies, it was found that the confinement to which the population was subjected during the quarantine of the COVID-19 pandemic increased the risk of anxiety and depression. Objective: to analyze the levels of anxiety and depression symptoms in Portugal residents during the quarantine of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This is a descriptive, transversal, and exploratory study of non-probabilistic sampling. Data collection was carried out between 6th and 31st of May 2020. Sociodemographic and health questionnaires PHQ-9 and GAD-7 were used. Results: The sample consisted of 920 individuals. The prevalence for depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 5) was 68.2% and (PHQ-9 10) was 34.8%, and for anxiety symptoms (GAD-7 5) was 60.4% and (GAD-7 10) was 20%. Depressive symptoms were moderately severe for 8.9% of the individuals, and 4.8% presented severe depression. Regarding the generalized anxiety disorder, we found that 11.6% of individuals present moderate symptoms, and 8.4% severe anxiety symptoms. Conclusions: The prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms were substantially higher than those previously found for the Portuguese population and when compared with other countries during the pandemic. Younger individuals, female, with chronic illness and medicated, were more vulnerable to depressive and anxious symptoms. In contrast, participants who maintained frequent levels of physical activity during confinement had their mental health protected.
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12253/1497
Appears in Collections:E CS/ENF - Artigos

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