Symptoms of depression and anxiety increased marginally from before to during the COVID-19 pandemic among young adults in Canada

Abstract

We documented changes in depressive and anxiety symptoms from before to during the COVID-19 pandemic among young adults and investigated whether changes differed across participant characteristics. Data were available in an investigation of 1294 grade 7 students recruited in 1999–2000. For this analysis, we used data collected pre-pandemically in 2017–20 (mean (SD) age = 30.6 (1.0)) and during the pandemic in 2020–21 (mean (SD) age = 33.6 (0.6)). 673 participants with data in both cycles were retained for analysis. Symptoms were measured using the Major Depression Inventory (MDI) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scale. Standardized mean differences (SMD) of changes in MDI and GAD-7 values between cycles were calculated across participant characteristics. On average, MDI scores increased by 2.1 (95%CI 1.4, 2.8) points during the pandemic from mean 10.5; GAD-7 scores increased by 1.2 (0.8, 1.5) points from mean 4.7. The SMD was 0.24 (0.14, 0.33) for MDI, and 0.24 (0.13, 0.34) for GAD-7. No differences in MDI change scores were observed across participant characteristics. Differences in GAD-7 change scores were observed by mood/anxiety disorder (SMD − 0.31 (− 0.58, − 0.05)), household income (0.24 (0.02, 48)), living with young children (− 0.56 (− 1.23,− 0.05)), and adherence to public health recommendations 0.58 (0.19, 1.03)). Increases in depressive and anxiety symptoms were observed 10–16 months into the COVID-19 pandemic among adults age 32–36.

A longitudinal study of the association between depression, anxiety and stress symptoms of university students in Serbia with excessive social media use before and during COVID-19 pandemic

“…In Chinese population the prevalence of depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, and posttraumatic stress symptoms was shown to be moderately high during COVID-19 crisis (21, 36-39), as it was among citizens in South Korea, India, Italy, and Denmark, where the authors showed similar results in their articles (40-43). However, Bélanger et al (44) in Canada pointed out completely opposite findings, in contrast to their Canadian colleagues who confirm similar observations as in the previously mentioned countries (45). Interestingly, when it comes to comparison between US and China, according to Wang et al (46), Americans reported more stress and depressive symptoms, while Chinese reported higher acute-traumatic stress symptoms.…”

Easing anxiety symptoms through leisure activities during social isolation: Findings from nationally representative samples

“…A survey by Statistics Canada reported that 46,000 Canadians reported poorer mental health since the onset of social distancing, and that 88% had experienced at least one symptom of anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 [ 9 ]. Research conducted by Sylvestre et al found that symptoms of anxiety increased significantly among Canadian young adults during the COVID-19 pandemic [ 10 ].…”