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. 2020 Oct 28;9(11):3481.
doi: 10.3390/jcm9113481.

Increased Psychological Distress during COVID-19 and Quarantine in Ireland: A National Survey

Tom Burke  1 , Anna Berry  1   2 , Laura K Taylor  1   3 , Owen Stafford  1 , Eddie Murphy  1   2 , Mark Shevlin  4 , Louise McHugh  1 , Alan Carr  1
Affiliations

Increased Psychological Distress during COVID-19 and Quarantine in Ireland: A National Survey

Tom Burke et al. J Clin Med. .

Abstract

Background: The emergence of the coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) resulted in a global pandemic. The psychological impact of an epidemic is multifaceted and acute, with long-term consequences.

Methods: A cross-sectional online survey-based design was employed, assessing the psychological impact of COVID-19 on members of the Irish public during the quarantine period of COVID-19 in Ireland. Participants were invited to complete the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) retrospectively (prior to quarantine) and during the quarantine period, as well as measures of illness perceptions, well-being, and a bespoke measure (the Effects of COVID Questionnaire, ECQ), which assessed perceptions of COVID-related stresses associated with personal concerns, caring for children, caring for aging parents, as well as gratitude.

Results: A total of n = 1620 entered the survey platform, with a total of n = 847 surveys completed by members of the Irish public. Entry into COVID-19 quarantine was associated with significant increases in clinically significant symptoms of depression, stress, and anxiety. The ECQ reliably assessed a range of COVID-19-related stresses and had large and significant correlations with the DASS-21.

Conclusions: The COVID-19 quarantine was associated with stresses and significant increases in symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress in a national Irish cohort. The public require increased access to mental health services to meet this increase in COVID-19-related psychological distress.

Keywords: COVID-19; Ireland; mental health; psychological distress; public; quarantine.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Outcomes for the summed score of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress subscales (DASS-21) prior to, and during, the quarantine. Group stratification is illustrated as: Left: Total cohort with color demarcation; (A) parents with a child only i.e., no older aging parents [R2 = 0.490]; (B) both a child and an older aging parent [R2 = 0.352]; (C) older aging parents only [R2 = 0.283]; (D) neither a child nor an older aging parent [R2 = 0.403].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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