AUTHOR=Zhou Yi , Cai Weicheng , Xie Liyang 

TITLE=The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Depressive Symptoms in China: A Longitudinal, Population-Based Study

JOURNAL=International Journal of Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 67 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.ssph-journal.org/journals/international-journal-of-public-health/articles/10.3389/ijph.2022.1604919

DOI=10.3389/ijph.2022.1604919

ISSN=1661-8564

ABSTRACT=Objectives: We aimed to examine the differential associations between COVID-19 incidence and depressive symptoms in China. 

Methods: We used a longitudinal sample from 2018 and 2020 waves of the China Family Panel Study. We constructed COVID-19 incidence rates as the number of new cases per 100,000 population in respondents’ resident provinces in the past 7, 14, and 28 days when a respondent was surveyed. We performed linear or logistic regressions to examine the associations, and performed stratified analyses to explore the heterogeneity of the associations.

Results: Our sample included 13,655 adults. The 7-day incidence rate was positively associated with the CES-D score (coef.=2.551, 95% CI: 1.959-3.142), and likelihood of having clinically significant depressive symptoms (AOR=6.916, 95% CI: 4.715–10.144). The associations were larger among those with less education, pre-existing depression, or chronic conditions. We did not find any significant association between the 14- or 28-day local incidence rates and depressive symptoms. 

Conclusion: The impact of COVID-19 incidence on mental health in China’s general population was statistically significant and moderate in magnitude and transient. Disadvantaged groups experienced higher increases in depressive symptoms.