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Meta-Analysis
. 2022 Dec 1:318:272-282.
doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.09.003. Epub 2022 Sep 10.

Prevalence of anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis of over 2 million people

Felipe Mendes Delpino  1 , Carine Nascimento da Silva  2 , Jeferson Santos Jerônimo  3 , Eliete Stark Mulling  3 , Larissa Leal da Cunha  3 , Marina Krause Weymar  3 , Ricardo Alt  4 , Eduardo L Caputo  3 , Natan Feter  5
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Prevalence of anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis of over 2 million people

Felipe Mendes Delpino et al. J Affect Disord. .

Abstract

Introduction: Uncertainty, disruptions in daily routines, and concerns for the health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic are likely associated with increases in generalized anxiety. The present study aimed to systematically review the literature in order to identify the update prevalence of anxiety in the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis. It included studies that assessed the prevalence of anxiety among the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Results: In total, we included 194 studies. The general prevalence of anxiety was 35.1 %, affecting approximately 851,000 participants. The prevalence in low and middle-income countries (35.1 %; 95%CI: 29.5 % to 41.0 %) was similar compared to high-income countries (34.7 %; 95%CI: 29.6 % to 40.1 %). In studies that provided the proportion of cases in each level of anxiety disorder, mild-to-moderate anxiety affected one quarter of the participants. One in ten cases with anxiety during the COVID-19 may be living with severe or extremely anxiety disorder. Most instruments estimated similar prevalence of anxiety disorders with notable difference in the prevalence estimated by the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 2-item (GAD-2), Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI).

Conclusion: One in three adults were living with anxiety disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide.

Keywords: Anxiety; COVID-19; Coronavirus; Pandemic.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flow diagram of articles selection stages.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Forest plot showing the general prevalence of anxiety and the stratified prevalence according to the scale of measurement.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Forest plot showing the prevalence of anxiety stratified according to the country's income.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Forest plot showing the prevalence of anxiety stratified by level.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Funnel plot assessing the publication bias for the prevalence of anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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