Stressors related to the Covid-19 pandemic, climate change, and the Ukraine crisis, and their impact on stress symptoms in Germany: analysis of cross-sectional survey data

Abstract

Background Climate change, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the Ukraine crisis are considered unprecedented global stressors, potentially associated with serious health consequences. However, simultaneous effects of these stressors are not yet understood, making it difficult to evaluate their relative contribution to the population burden and potential future manifestations in clinically significant psychiatric disorders. This study aimed at disentangling the relative contribution of the three stressor groups on current sub-clinical stress symptoms. Methods A cross-sectional, representative survey study was conducted two months after the outbreak of the Ukraine war in Germany. Proportional quota sampling was applied for age, gender, income, and regional characteristics. Data were recruited by means of an online survey. 3094 data sets (1560 females) were included. Age ranged from 18–89 (M: 50.4 years; SD: 17.2). The Subclinical Stress Questionnaire (SSQ-25) served as main outcome measure. In collaboration with a professional media agency, 20 items were generated to capture salient population stressors. A three-factor exploratory structural equation model confirmed the appropriateness of this scale. Results (1) Differences in subjective rankings revealed that stressors related to the Ukraine crisis were rated as most worrying, followed by climate change, and the Covid-19 pandemic (Generalized-Linear-Model: Epsilon = .97; F(1.94, 6001.14) = 1026.12, p < .001; ηp2 = .25). (2) In a linear regression model (R2 = .39), Covid-19 pandemic stressors were the only meaningful predictors for current ill-health (standardized β = .48). Ukraine crisis did not predict stress symptom profiles in the present sample. (3) Older and male individuals report less and/or less severe stress symptoms, although effect sizes were small (range: η2 .11—.21). An older age also reduced the impact of Covid-19 stressors. Conclusions Researchers from the health sciences must consider overlapping effects from population stressors. Although the Ukraine crisis and climate change mark salient stressors, including economic threats, the Covid-19 pandemic still has a profound effect on ill-health and must be considered as a relevant factor in future manifestations of psychiatric and associated health consequences.

Results of a follow-up survey on "Russian-Ukrainian war, climate change, Covid-19, and economic worries in relation to current stress symptoms in the general public in Germany."

“…Stressors due to the Russian-Ukrainian war were rated the most worrisome on a subjective level but have negligible predictive value for the occurrence of stress symptoms. This result is consistent with ndings from spring 2022 [4]. However, longer-term effects of this stressor have not yet been detected.…”

“…To address current changes in the signi cance of population stressors in the general public, the validated stressor list from the initial survey [4] was adapted: Some stressors related to the Russian-Ukrainian war (such as the threat of a nuclear war) were adapted according to the progression of the war. Additionally, stressors capturing worries related to current economic situation were added.…”

“…Each of these stressors is associated with negative consequences for mental health [1][2][3]. In a recent study conducted in a representative German sample in spring 2022, our group disentangled the impact of current population stressors on subclinical stress symptoms [4]. However, with the latest progression of the Russian-Ukrainian war and increasing economic challenges, the nature of these stressors has shifted.…”

Generation climate crisis, COVID-19, and Russia-Ukraine- War– Global crises and mental health in adolescents

“…By contrast, our study shows that pandemic-related distress was the strongest predictor across all outcome measures. In this respect, our study converges with the ndings of an adult sample in Germany [15] that revealed that pandemic-related distress, but not war-or climate-related distress, signi cantly predicts mental health.…”

Climate change-related concerns in psychotherapy: therapists’ experiences and views on addressing this topic in therapy

“…In addition, climate change and its consequences could function as an additional stressor, increasing the mental health burden of patients. Together with other currently salient threats to the basis of existence, like the Ukraine war or sustained consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic [ 29 ] climate change-related concerns could add to pathology in a dose-effect manner.…”