Long-term trajectories of densely reported depressive symptoms during an extended period of the COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland: Social worries matter

N. Probst-Hensch; M. Imboden; A. Jeong; D. Keidel; T. Vermes; M. Witzig; S. Cullati; S. Tancredi; N. Noor; P.-Y. Rodondi; E. Harju; G. Michel; I. Frank; C. Kahlert; A. Cusini; N. Rodondi; P.O. Chocano-Bedoya; J.B. Bardoczi; M.J. Stuber; F. Vollrath; J. Fehr; A. Frei; M. Kaufmann; M. Geigges; V. von Wyl; M.A. Puhan; E. Albanese; L. Crivelli; G.F. Lovison

Comprehensive Psychiatry (Apr 2024)

Long-term trajectories of densely reported depressive symptoms during an extended period of the COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland: Social worries matter

N. Probst-Hensch,
M. Imboden,
A. Jeong,
D. Keidel,
T. Vermes,
M. Witzig,
S. Cullati,
S. Tancredi,
N. Noor,
P.-Y. Rodondi,
E. Harju,
G. Michel,
I. Frank,
C. Kahlert,
A. Cusini,
N. Rodondi,
P.O. Chocano-Bedoya,
J.B. Bardoczi,
M.J. Stuber,
F. Vollrath,
J. Fehr,
A. Frei,
M. Kaufmann,
M. Geigges,
V. von Wyl,
M.A. Puhan,
E. Albanese,
L. Crivelli,
G.F. Lovison

Affiliations

N. Probst-Hensch: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland; Department of Public Health, University of Basel, Switzerland; Corresponding author at: Head Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstrasse 57, 4051 Basel, Switzerland.
M. Imboden: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland; Department of Public Health, University of Basel, Switzerland
A. Jeong: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland; Department of Public Health, University of Basel, Switzerland
D. Keidel: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland; Department of Public Health, University of Basel, Switzerland
T. Vermes: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland; Department of Public Health, University of Basel, Switzerland
M. Witzig: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland; Department of Public Health, University of Basel, Switzerland
S. Cullati: Population Health Laboratory (#PopHealthLab), University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland; Department of Readaptation and Geriatrics, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
S. Tancredi: Population Health Laboratory (#PopHealthLab), University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
N. Noor: Population Health Laboratory (#PopHealthLab), University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
P.-Y. Rodondi: Institute of Family Medicine (IMF), University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
E. Harju: Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Alpenquai 4, 6005 Luzern, Switzerland.; ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences, School of Health Sciences, Winterthur, Switzerland
G. Michel: Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Alpenquai 4, 6005 Luzern, Switzerland.
I. Frank: Clinical Trial Unit, Cantonal Hospital Luzern, Luzern, Switzerland
C. Kahlert: Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, Cantonal Hospital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland; Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, Children's Hospital of Eastern Switzerland, St. Gallen, Switzerland
A. Cusini: Division of Infectious Diseases, Cantonal Hospital of Grisons, Chur, Switzerland
N. Rodondi: Institute of Primary Health Care (BIHAM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Department of General Internal Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
P.O. Chocano-Bedoya: Institute of Primary Health Care (BIHAM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
J.B. Bardoczi: Institute of Primary Health Care (BIHAM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Department of General Internal Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
M.J. Stuber: Institute of Primary Health Care (BIHAM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Department of General Internal Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
F. Vollrath: Corona Immunitas Program Management Group, Swiss School of Public Health, Zurich, Switzerland
J. Fehr: Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, Zurich, Switzerland
A. Frei: Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, Zurich, Switzerland
M. Kaufmann: Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, Zurich, Switzerland
M. Geigges: Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, Zurich, Switzerland
V. von Wyl: Institute for Implementation Science in Health Care, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
M.A. Puhan: Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, Zurich, Switzerland
E. Albanese: Institute of Public Health, Faculty of BioMedicine, Università Della Svizzera Italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
L. Crivelli: Institute of Public Health, Faculty of BioMedicine, Università Della Svizzera Italiana, Lugano, Switzerland; Department of Business Economics, Health and Social Care, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland, Lugano, Switzerland
G.F. Lovison: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland; Department of Public Health, University of Basel, Switzerland

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 130
p. 152457

Abstract

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Previous mental health trajectory studies were mostly limited to the months before access to vaccination. They are not informing on whether public mental health has adapted to the pandemic. The aim of this analysis was to 1) investigate trajectories of monthly reported depressive symptoms from July 2020 to December 2021 in Switzerland, 2) compare average growth trajectories across regions with different stringency phases, and 3) explore the relative impact of self-reported worries related to health, economic and social domains as well as socio-economic indicators on growth trajectories. As part of the population-based Corona Immunitas program of regional, but harmonized, adult cohorts studying the pandemic course and impact, participants repeatedly reported online to the DASS-21 instrument on depressive symptomatology. Trajectories of depressive symptoms were estimated using a latent growth model, specified as a generalised linear mixed model. The time effect was modelled parametrically through a polynomial allowing to estimate trajectories for participants' missing time points. In all regions level and shape of the trajectories mirrored those of the KOF Stringency-Plus Index, which quantifies regional Covid-19 policy stringency. The higher level of average depression in trajectories of those expressing specific worries was most noticeable for the social domain. Younger age, female gender, and low household income went along with higher mean depression score trajectories throughout follow-up. Interventions to promote long-term resilience are an important part of pandemic preparedness, given the observed lack of an adaptation in mental health response to the pandemic even after the availability of vaccines in this high-income context.

Published in Comprehensive Psychiatry

ISSN: 0010-440X (Print); 1532-8384 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry: Neurology. Diseases of the nervous system: Psychiatry
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/comprehensive-psychiatry

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