Prevalence and factors associated with self-reported anxiety in adults during the COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Mexico, and Spain: A cross-sectional Ibero-American study

Abstract

The present study evaluated the factors associated with the perception of anxiety during the first wave of covid-19 in Ibero-American countries. This cross-sectional study was carried out with 5.845 participants of both sexes, over 18 years of age, and residents of four Latin American countries–Argentina (16.7%), Brazil (34.5%), Mexico (11.1%), and Peru (17.5%), and one European country–Spain (20.1%). Data were collected in 2020, between April 1st and June 30th in Spain and between July 13th and September 26th in the Latin American countries. We used an online questionnaire with sociodemographic, lifestyle, self-reported anxiety, and covid-19 related questions. The chi-square statistical test and Multivariate logistic regressions were performed to analyze the factors associated with self-reported anxiety. The presence of self-reported anxiety was found in 63.8% of the participants during the isolation period. The association occurred mainly in women (OR:1.52; CI: 1.3–1.7), those aged 18 to 29 years (OR: 1.51; CI: 1.2–1.9) and 30 to 49 years (OR: 1.56; CI: 1.3–1.9), residents of Argentina (OR: 1.55 CI: 1.2–1.9), Brazil (OR: 2.38; CI: 2.0–2.8) and Mexico (OR: 1.52; CI: 1.2–1.9), those who gained weight (OR:1.71 CI: 1.5–1.9) or lost weight (OR: 1.40; CI: 1.2–1.6), and those who reported having slept more (OR: 1.56; CI: 1.3–1.8) or less (OR: 2.89; CI: 2.5–3.4). We conclude that the prevalence of self-reported anxiety in Ibero-American countries was high during the period studied, highlighting a higher likelihood of its occurrence in Brazil, in those who began to sleep less and gained weight.