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[Preprint]. 2021 Jul 8:2021.07.07.21260137.
doi: 10.1101/2021.07.07.21260137.

Anxiety and depression symptoms after COVID-19 infection: results from the COVID Symptom Study app

Kerstin Klaser  1 , Ellen J Thompson  2 , Long H Nguyen  3   4 , Carole H Sudre  1   5   6 , Michela Antonelli  1 , Benjamin Murray  1 , Liane S Canas  1 , Erika Molteni  1 , Mark S Graham  1 , Eric Kerfoot  1 , Liyuan Chen  1 , Jie Deng  1 , Anna May  7 , Christina Hu  7 , Andy Guest  7 , Somesh Selvachandran  7 , David A Drew  3   4 , Marc Modat  1 , Andrew T Chan  3   4 , Jonathan Wolf  7 , Tim D Spector  2 , Alexander Hammers  1   8 , Emma L Duncan  2 , Sebastien Ourselin  1 , Claire J Steves  2
Affiliations

Anxiety and depression symptoms after COVID-19 infection: results from the COVID Symptom Study app

Kerstin Klaser et al. medRxiv. .

Update in

  • Anxiety and depression symptoms after COVID-19 infection: results from the COVID Symptom Study app.
    Klaser K, Thompson EJ, Nguyen LH, Sudre CH, Antonelli M, Murray B, Canas LS, Molteni E, Graham MS, Kerfoot E, Chen L, Deng J, May A, Hu C, Guest A, Selvachandran S, Drew DA, Modat M, Chan AT, Wolf J, Spector TD, Hammers A, Duncan EL, Ourselin S, Steves CJ. Klaser K, et al. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2021 Dec;92(12):1254-1258. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2021-327565. Epub 2021 Sep 28. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2021. PMID: 34583944 Free PMC article.

Abstract

Background: Mental health issues have been reported after SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, comparison to prevalence in uninfected individuals and contribution from common risk factors (e.g., obesity, comorbidities) have not been examined. We identified how COVID-19 relates to mental health in the large community-based COVID Symptom Study.

Methods: We assessed anxiety and depression symptoms using two validated questionnaires in 413,148 individuals between February and April 2021; 26,998 had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. We adjusted for physical and mental pre-pandemic comorbidities, BMI, age, and sex.

Findings: Overall, 26.4% of participants met screening criteria for general anxiety and depression. Anxiety and depression were slightly more prevalent in previously SARS-CoV-2 positive (30.4%) vs. negative (26.1%) individuals. This association was small compared to the effect of an unhealthy BMI and the presence of other comorbidities, and not evident in younger participants (≤40 years). Findings were robust to multiple sensitivity analyses. Association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and anxiety and depression was stronger in individuals with recent (<30 days) vs. more distant (>120 days) infection, suggesting a short-term effect.

Interpretation: A small association was identified between SARS-CoV-2 infection and anxiety and depression symptoms. The proportion meeting criteria for self-reported anxiety and depression disorders is only slightly higher than pre-pandemic.

Funding: Zoe Limited, National Institute for Health Research, Chronic Disease Research Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Medical Research Council UK.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of interests

AM, CH, AG, SS and JW are employees of Zoe Limited.

TDS reports being a consultant for Zoe Limited, during the conduct of the study.

ATC previously served as an investigator on a separate study supported by Zoe Limited. All other authors have nothing to declare.

Figures

Figure 1:
Figure 1:
Association between age, BMI, male sex, comorbidities, a previous diagnosis of a mental health condition, learning disabilities, a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result (PCR and lateral flow), and the odds ratio of anxiety/depression symptoms suggested by the results of the mental health survey.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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