Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36383551›Full record

ArticlePloS one2022

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on depression and anxiety symptoms: Findings from the United Arab Emirates Healthy Future (UAEHFS) cohort study.

Manal Al Blooshi, Tamadher Al Ameri, Maryam Al Marri, Amar Ahmad, Andrea Leinberger-Jabari, Abdishakur Abdulle, Manal Taimah, Thekra Al Zaabi, Khaloud Al Remeithi, Ayesha Al Hosani and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Manal Al BlooshiNew York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.ORCID 0000-0002-6555-064X
Tamadher Al AmeriNew York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Maryam Al MarriNew York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Amar AhmadNew York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Andrea Leinberger-JabariNew York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Abdishakur AbdulleNew York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Manal TaimahNew York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Thekra Al ZaabiNew York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Khaloud Al RemeithiNew York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Ayesha Al HosaniNew York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Scott ShermanNew York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America.ORCID 0000-0003-1752-7303
Raghib AliNew York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Funding

Medical Research Council MC_UU_00006/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSignificant concerns about mental health were raised during the COVID-19 pandemic. We investigated the prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms among the participants of the United Arab Emirates Healthy Future Study (UAEHFS); a national cohort study. We further explored the change in the prevalence of depression symptoms among those with comparable pre-pandemic data.

methodsA sample of UAEHFS participants were invited to complete a COVID-19 online questionnaire during the first wave of the pandemic. Depression and anxiety symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire Depression Scale (PHQ-8) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 Scale (GAD-7) respectively. Unpaired analyses were done to examine the effect of COVID-19 on depression and anxiety symptoms during the pandemic. Paired analysis was conducted to examine the change in depression symptoms.

resultsDuring the pandemic, we reported a prevalence of 32.8% (95% CI: 27.0, 39.1) for depression and 26.4% (95% CI: 21.0, 32.6) for anxiety symptoms. Younger people reported higher levels of depression (40.4%) and anxiety (34.5%) symptoms. Females reported higher levels of depression (36.5%) and anxiety (32.7%) symptoms. In paired analysis, the prevalence of depression symptoms during the pandemic was 34% (95% CI: 26.5, 42.4) compared to 29.9% (95% CI: 22.7, 38.1) before the pandemic. No statistically significant difference was observed, p-value = 0.440. Adjusted multivariate logistic regression models for PHQ-8 and GAD-7 during the pandemic showed that participants, who were experiencing flu-like symptoms, had higher odds of reporting depression symptoms compared to those without symptoms. Additionally, age was significantly negatively associated with anxiety symptoms.

conclusionsOverall, we found that depression and anxiety symptoms were more prevalent among young people and females. However, we did not find a significant change in the prevalence of depression symptoms among those with comparable pre-pandemic data. Identifying vulnerable groups and understanding trajectories through longitudinal studies would help with planning for effective mental health interventions for the current and future pandemics.

Indexed as

COVID-19AdolescentAnxietyCohort StudiesDepressionFemaleHumansPandemicsUnited Arab Emirates

Identifiers

PMID36383551
PMCPMC9668125

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.