Mental health and associated factors in the general population of Latvia during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Description The goal of the study was to assess mental health, socio-psychological and behavioural aspects in the representative sample of Latvian general population in online survey, and to identify vulnerable groups during COVID-19 pandemic and develop future recommendations. The study was carried out from 6 to 27 July 2020 and was attributable to the period of emergency state from 11 March to 10 June 2020. The protocol included demographic data and also data pertaining to general health, previous self-reported psychiatric history, symptoms of anxiety, clinically significant depression and suicidality, as well as a quality of sleep, sex, family relationships, finance, eating and exercising and religion/spirituality, and their changes during the pandemic. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale was used to determine the presence of distress or depression, the Risk Assessment of Suicidality Scale was used to assess suicidal behaviour, current symptoms of anxiety were assessed by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory form Y. (2021-02-04) Subject Medicine, Health and Life Sciences Keyword: COVID19, pandemic, depression, anxiety, suicidality, mental health, Latvia

Determinants of Anxiety in the General Latvian Population During the COVID-19 State of Emergency

“…The data collection was stratified by gender, age, region, urbanization, and nationality, and was based on statistics published by the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs of Latvia ( 32 ). A precisely selected and segmented database was used to correspond to the general population of Latvia thus ensuring the representativeness of the sample of respondents ( 33 ). An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) data transmission protocol was used to ensure the security of the online data transmission ( 34 ).…”