Consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on anxiety and depression

a descriptive and cross-sectional study

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Objective: To determine the consequences on anxiety and depression caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The study will be cross-sectional, descriptive and retrospective, carried out through a questionnaire in the Google Forms database between the period from September 2021 to February 2022. The research was disseminated through social networks and QR-CODE of the fixed questionnaire in the environments of the Faculty of Medicine of Olinda (FMO). Software STATA/SE 12.0 and Excel 2010 were used. Results: 357 participants were evaluated, most of whom have depressive symptoms such as 'Difficulty sleeping' and 'Irritability'. Regarding anxiety symptoms, the highest prevalence was 'Sleep problems', 'Difficulty concentrating' and 'Fatigue'. There was a correlation of anxiety and depression with the COVID-19 Pandemic, expressing a direct impact on the worsening of their condition and functional consequence in daily activities. Conclusion: This study found that negative reflections on mental health were caused by the Pandemic, identifying the high prevalence and worsening of anxiety and depression symptoms in participants during the pandemic context.