1. Change in mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal study of residents of Indian metropolitan cities.
- Author
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Husain, Zakir, Datta, Soumitra Shankar, Ghosh, Saswata, and Dutta, Mousumi
- Subjects
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PREVENTION of mental depression , *MENTAL illness prevention , *PSYCHIATRIC epidemiology , *MIDDLE-income countries , *SAMPLE size (Statistics) , *MULTIPLE regression analysis , *MENTAL health , *SURVEYS , *SOCIOECONOMIC factors , *LOW-income countries , *DESCRIPTIVE statistics , *METROPOLITAN areas , *DATA analysis software , *COVID-19 pandemic , *MENTAL illness , *LONGITUDINAL method , *PSYCHOLOGICAL stress , *TELEMEDICINE , *PSYCHOSOCIAL factors ,ANXIETY prevention - Abstract
Initial studies have reported an increase in the incidence of mental health problems during the early months of COVID-19. Longitudinal studies of changes in mental health undertaken in Low and Middle Income countries during the pandemic remains an under-researched area. The current study examines changes in mental health among adult residents of metropolitan cities of India, a middle-income country reporting the second-highest COVID cases and third-highest fatalities, during the pandemic. Data was collected, based on a telephonic survey using the internationally accepted abridged Depression Anxiety Stress schedule (DASS-21), in August and September 2020 and July-August 2021. The sample size is 994. The data was analysed using an ordered logit model. At the onset of the pandemic, high levels of anxiety, stress and depression prevailed; their levels reduced after one year. Respondents who have experienced a decline in economic fortunes, have family members with pre-existing co-morbidity or had COVID in the family are significantly less likely to report improvement in mental health; less-educated respondents are also vulnerable. Specific sub-groups, identified as at risk, need monitoring and continued provisioning of tailor-made mental health services addressing their specific needs. Relief measures targeting economically affected households are also required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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