Association of Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions to Reduce the Spread of SARS-CoV-2 With Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms: A Multi-National Study of 43 Countries

• Published in: International journal of public health Vol. 67; p. 1604430
• Main Authors: Riehm, Kira E., Badillo Goicoechea, Elena, Wang, Frances M., Kim, Esther, Aldridge, Luke R., Lupton-Smith, Carly P., Presskreischer, Rachel, Chang, Ting-Hsuan, LaRocca, Sarah, Kreuter, Frauke, Stuart, Elizabeth A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland Frontiers Media S.A 03.03.2022
• Subjects: Adult; age; anxiety; Anxiety - epidemiology; Anxiety - prevention & control; Anxiety Disorders; COVID-19; COVID-19 - epidemiology; COVID-19 - prevention & control; depression; Depression - epidemiology; Depression - prevention & control; gender; Humans; non-pharmaceutical interventions; Public Health Archive; SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; anxiety; depression; gender; non-pharmaceutical interventions; age
• ISSN: 1661-8564; 1661-8556; 1661-8564
• DOI: 10.3389/ijph.2022.1604430

Objectives: To examine the association of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) with anxiety and depressive symptoms among adults and determine if these associations varied by gender and age. Methods: We combined survey data from 16,177,184 adults from 43 countries who participated in the daily COVID-19 Trends and Impact Survey via Facebook with time-varying NPI data from the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker between 24 April 2020 and 20 December 2020. Using logistic regression models, we examined the association of [1] overall NPI stringency and [2] seven individual NPIs (school closures, workplace closures, cancellation of public events, restrictions on the size of gatherings, stay-at-home requirements, restrictions on internal movement, and international travel controls) with anxiety and depressive symptoms. Results: More stringent implementation of NPIs was associated with a higher odds of anxiety and depressive symptoms, albeit with very small effect sizes. Individual NPIs had heterogeneous associations with anxiety and depressive symptoms by gender and age. Conclusion: Governments worldwide should be prepared to address the possible mental health consequences of stringent NPI implementation with both universal and targeted interventions for vulnerable groups.