International Journal of Public Health (Mar 2022)

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

  • Kira E. Riehm,
  • Elena Badillo Goicoechea,
  • Frances M. Wang,
  • Esther Kim,
  • Luke R. Aldridge,
  • Carly P. Lupton-Smith,
  • Rachel Presskreischer,
  • Ting-Hsuan Chang,
  • Sarah LaRocca,
  • Frauke Kreuter,
  • Frauke Kreuter,
  • Frauke Kreuter,
  • Elizabeth A. Stuart

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/ijph.2022.1604430
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 67

Abstract

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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.

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