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Assets, stressors, and symptoms of persistent depression over the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

ABSTRACT: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been accompanied by an increase in depression in U.S. adults. Previous literature suggests that having assets may protect against depression. Using a nationally representative longitudinal panel survey of U.S. adults studied in March and April 2020 and in March and April 2021, we found that (i) 20.3% of U.S. adults reported symptoms of persistent depression in Spring 2020 and Spring 2021, (ii) having more assets was associated with lower symptoms of persistent depression, with financial assets-household income and savings-most strongly associated, and (iii) while having assets appeared to protect persons-in particular those without stressors-from symptoms of persistent depression over the COVID-19 pandemic, having assets did not appear to reduce the effects of job loss, financial difficulties, or relationship stress on symptoms of persistent depression. Efforts to reduce population depression should consider the role played by assets in shaping risk of symptoms of persistent depression.

SUBMITTER: Ettman CK

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8890702 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Assets, stressors, and symptoms of persistent depression over the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ettman Catherine K CK Cohen Gregory H GH Abdalla Salma M SM Trinquart Ludovic L Castrucci Brian C BC Bork Rachel H RH Clark Melissa A MA Wilson Ira B IB Vivier Patrick M PM Galea Sandro S

Science advances 20220302 9

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been accompanied by an increase in depression in U.S. adults. Previous literature suggests that having assets may protect against depression. Using a nationally representative longitudinal panel survey of U.S. adults studied in March and April 2020 and in March and April 2021, we found that (i) 20.3% of U.S. adults reported symptoms of persistent depression in Spring 2020 and Spring 2021, (ii) having more assets was associated with lower sympt ...[more]

PMID: 35235345

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Project description:BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic exposes individuals to multiple stressors, such as quarantine, physical distancing, job loss, risk of infection, and loss of loved ones. Such a complex array of stressors potentially lead to symptoms of adjustment disorder.ObjectiveThis cross-sectional exploratory study examined relationships between risk and protective factors, stressors, and symptoms of adjustment disorder during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsData from the first wave of the European Society of Traumatic Stress Studies (ESTSS) longitudinal ADJUST Study were used. N = 15,563 participants aged 18 years and above were recruited in eleven countries (Austria, Croatia, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, and Sweden) from June to November 2020. Associations between risk and protective factors (e.g. gender, diagnosis of a mental health disorder), stressors (e.g. fear of infection, restricted face-to-face contact), and symptoms of adjustment disorder (ADNM-8) were examined using multivariate linear regression.ResultsThe prevalence of self-reported probable adjustment disorder was 18.2%. Risk factors associated with higher levels of symptoms of adjustment disorder were female gender, older age, being at risk for severe COVID-19 illness, poorer general health status, current or previous trauma exposure, a current or previous mental health disorder, and longer exposure to COVID-19 news. Protective factors related to lower levels of symptoms of adjustment disorder were higher income, being retired, and having more face-to-face contact with loved ones or friends. Pandemic-related stressors associated with higher levels of symptoms of adjustment disorder included fear of infection, governmental crisis management, restricted social contact, work-related problems, restricted activity, and difficult housing conditions.ConclusionsWe identified stressors, risk, and protective factors that may help identify individuals at higher risk for adjustment disorder.

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Assets, stressors, and symptoms of persistent depression over the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Assets, stressors, and symptoms of persistent depression over the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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