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. 2021 Feb 22;12(1):1875642.
doi: 10.1080/20008198.2021.1875642.

Saudi Arabia Mental Health Surveillance System (MHSS): mental health trends amid COVID-19 and comparison with pre-COVID-19 trends

Nasser F BinDhim  1   2   3 , Nora A Althumiri  1 , Mada H Basyouni  1   4 , Asem A Alageel  5 , Suliman Alghnam  6 , Ada M Al-Qunaibet  7 , Rasha A Almubarak  1 , Shahla Aldhukair  8 , Yasser Ad-Dab'bagh  4   9
Affiliations

Saudi Arabia Mental Health Surveillance System (MHSS): mental health trends amid COVID-19 and comparison with pre-COVID-19 trends

Nasser F BinDhim et al. Eur J Psychotraumatol. .

Abstract
in English, Spanish, Chinese

Background: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on populations' mental health has started to emerge. Objectives: To describe the mental health trends of the risk of major depressive disorder (MDD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) between May and August 2020. It also compares the results with pre-COVID-19 results and identifies risk factors associated with increased likelihood of being at risk of MDD and GAD. Method: This study utilizes repeated cross-sectional design, at national-level coverage of mental health screenings via computer-assisted phone interviews conducted in four waves monthly (between May and August 2020). Arabic-speaking adults from Saudi Arabia were recruited via a random phone list. The questionnaire includes the Arabic version of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and the General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7). Pre-COVID-19 comparison was done using the PHQ-2 score to allow for comparison with a previous and similar national study conducted in 2018. Results: Across the four waves, 16,513 participants completed the interviews, with an overall response rate of 81.3%. The weighted national prevalence of people at risk of MDD was 14.9% overall, and 13.8%, 13.6%, 16.8%, and 15.3% in Waves 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. The weighted national prevalence of people at risk of GAD was 11.4%, overall, and 10.9%, 10.7%, 12.4%, and 11.7% in Waves 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. The weighted national proportion of individuals who were at risk of MDD and GAD at the same time was 7.4% overall. The risk of MDD on PHQ-2 increased by 71.2%, from 12.5% in 2018 to 21.4% in 2020. Conclusions: The risks of MDD and GAD in this study are relatively high. These results can help decision makers to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the population's mental health and the most-impacted subgroups.

Antecedentes: El impacto de la pandemia COVID-19 en la salud mental de la población ha comenzado a emerger.Objetivos: Describir las tendencias en salud mental del riesgo de tener un trastorno depresivo mayor (MDD por sus siglas en inglés) y un trastorno de ansiedad generalizado (GAD por sus siglas en inglés) entre Mayo y Agosto de 2020. También compara los resultados con los resultados pre COVID-19 e identifica factores de riesgo asociados con el aumento de la probabilidad de estar en riesgo de sufrir MDD y GADMétodo: Este estudio utiliza un diseño transversal repetido, a un nivel de cobertura nacional de tamizaje sobre salud mental vía entrevistas telefónicas asistidas por computador, conducidas en 4 olas mensualmente (entre Mayo y agosto de 2020). Adultos que hablasen árabe de Arabia Saudita fueron reclutados mediante una lista aleatoria de teléfonos. El cuestionario incluía la versión árabe del Cuestionario de Salud del Paciente (PHQ-9) y de La Escala del Trastorno de Ansiedad Generalizada (GAD-7). Se hicieron comparaciones pre-COVID 19 usando el puntaje del PHQ-2 para permitir la comparación con un estudio previo nacional de características similares que fue realizado el 2018.Resultados: A través de las cuatro olas, 16.513 participantes completaron las entrevistas, con una tasa de respuesta promedio de 81.3%. La prevalencia nacional calculada de personas en riesgo para MDD fue de 14.9% en general y de 13.8%, 13.6%, 16.8% y 15.3% en Olas 1, 2, 3 y 4 respectivamente. La prevalencia nacional calculada de personas en riesgo para GAD fue 11.4% en general y 10.9%, 10.7%, 12.4% y 11.7% en Olas 1, 2, 3 y 4 respectivamente. La proporción nacional calculada de individuos que estaban en riesgo para MDD y GAD al mismo tiempo fue de 7.4% en general. El riesgo de MDD según el PHQ-2 aumentó en un 71.2%, de 12.5% en 2018 a 21.4% en 2020.Conclusiones: El riesgo de MDD y GAD encontrado en este estudio es relativamente alto. Estos resultados pueden ayudar a entender a las personas que toman decisiones del impacto de la pandemia COVID-19 en la salud mental de la población y en los subgrupos más impactados.

背景: COVID-19疫情对人们心理健康的影响开始逐渐显现。目的: 描述2020年5月至8月期间重性抑郁障碍 (MDD) 和广泛性焦虑症 (GAD) 风险的心理健康趋势。还将这些结果与COVID-19之前的结果进行比较, 并确定患MDD和GAD可能性增加的相关风险因素。方法: 本研究利用重复的横断面设计, 通过2020年5月至8月每月进行的四次计算机辅助电话访谈, 在全国范围内进行心理健康筛查。通过随机电话列表招募了沙特阿拉伯中说阿拉伯语的成人。问卷包括阿拉伯语版的患者健康问卷 (PHQ-9) 和广泛性焦虑障碍量表 (GAD-7) 。与COVID-19之前的比较使用了PHQ-2评分, 以便与2018年进行的前人的类似国家研究进行比较。结果: 在这四次测量中, 16,513名参与者完成了访谈, 总回应率为81.3％。MDD风险人群的加权全国患病率总体上为14.9％, 在第1, 2, 3和4次测量中分别为13.8％, 13.6％, 16.8％和15.3％。GAD风险人群的加权全国患病率总体上为11.4％, 第1, 2, 3和4次分别为10.9％, 10.7％, 12.4％和11.7％。同时为MDD和GAD的风险人群的加权全国比例总体上为7.4％。 PHQ-2的MDD风险从2018年的12.5％增加到2020年的21.4％, 共增加了71.2％, 。结论: 本研究中MDD和GAD的风险较高。这些结果可以帮助决策者了解COVID-19疫情对人群心理健康和受影响最大亚群的影响。.

Keywords: COVID-19; Mental Health; anxiety; depression; screening; surveillance.

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Conflict of interest statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

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