Report on sadness/depression, nervousness/anxiety and sleep problems in the Brazilian adult population during the COVID-19 pandemic

Barros, Marilisa Berti de Azevedo; Lima, Margareth Guimarães; Malta, Deborah Carvalho; Szwarcwald, Célia Landmann; Azevedo, Renata Cruz Soares de; Romero, Dalia; Souza Júnior, Paulo Roberto Borges de; Azevedo, Luis Otávio; Machado, Ísis Eloah; Damacena, Giseli Nogueira; Gomes, Crizian Saar; Werneck, André de Oliveira; Silva, Danilo Rodrigues Pereira da; Pina, Maria de Fátima de; Gracie, Renata

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Brasil

Epidemiologia e Serviços de Saúde

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Original Articles • Epidemiol. Serv. Saúde 29 (4) • 2020 • https://doi.org/10.1590/S1679-49742020000400018 copy

Report on sadness/depression, nervousness/anxiety and sleep problems in the Brazilian adult population during the COVID-19 pandemic

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Abstract

Objective:

To analyze the frequency of sadness, nervousness, and sleep disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil, identifying the most affected demographic segments.

Methods:

This was a cross-sectional study using an online questionnaire answered by adults and elderly people to collect information on living conditions, health and health-related behaviors. Prevalence rates and prevalence ratios adjusted for age and sex were estimated.

Results:

The data on 45,161 Brazilian respondents showed that during the pandemic 40.4% (95%CI 39.0;41.8) frequently felt sad or depressed and 52.6% (95%CI 51.2;54.1) frequently felt anxious or nervous; 43.5% (95%CI 41.8;45.3) reported the onset of sleep problems and 48.0% (95%CI 45.6;50.5) had a prior sleep problem that had become worse. Frequent sadness and nervousness, as well as change in sleep patterns were higher in young adults, women and those with a history of depression.

Conclusion:

The high prevalence found indicates the need to guarantee the provision of services for mental health and quality of sleep that are adapted to the pandemic context.

Keywords:
Depression; Anxiety; Sleep; Pandemics; Coronavirus Infections; Health Surveys

Variables		% (95%CI)^b b) 95%CI: 95% confidence interval.
Frequency of feeling sad or depressed
	Never	18.6 (17.4;19.9)
	Rarely	41.0 (39.6;42.4)
	Often	35.2 (33.8;36.6)
	All the time	5.2 (4.7;5.8)
Frequency of feeling anxious or nervous
	Never	12.3 (11.3;13.3)
	Rarely	35.1 (33.7;36.5)
	Often	41.3 (39.9;42.8)
	All the time	11.3 (10.4;12.3)
Sleep problems
	Prior sleep problems increased	48.0 (45.6;50.5)
	Start of sleep problems	43.5 (41.8;45.3)

Variables		Age groups (years)			PR^a a) PR: prevalence ratios adjusted for sex, using 60 years or over as the reference category. (95%CI) ^b b) 95%CI: 95% confidence interval. (1/3)	PR^a a) PR: prevalence ratios adjusted for sex, using 60 years or over as the reference category. (95%CI)^b b) 95%CI: 95% confidence interval. (2/3)
Variables		18-29 (1)	30-59 (2)	≥60 (3)
Frequency of feeling sad or depressed
	Never	9.6	19.0	28.5	0.32 (0.26;0.39)	0.65 (0.56;0.75)
	Rarely	36.6	41.9	43.9	0.83 (0.74;0.92)	0.95 (0.87;1.04)
	Often	44.7	35.0	24.2	1.91 (1.67;2.17)	1.47 (1.29;1.67)
	All the time	9.1	4.1	3.3	2.87 (1.99;4.14)	1.28 (0.88;1.87)
Frequency of feeling anxious or nervous
	Never	7.0	10.6	23.1	0.29 (0.23;0.36)	0.45 (0.38;0.53)
	Rarely	23.5	36.6	45.2	0.51 (0.54;0.57)	0.80 (0.73;0.88)
	Often	50.2	42.9	26.3	1.94 (1.72;2.19)	1.65 (1.47;1.86)
	All the time	19.3	9.9	5.4	3.71 (2.67;5.16)	1.86 (1.34;2.59)
Sleep problems
	Prior sleep problems increased	58.8	50.1	30.2	2.03 (1.69;2.44)	1.69 (1.41;2.03)
	Start of sleep problems	53.2	44.3	29.1	1.84 (1.59;2.15)	1.53 (1.32;1.77)

Variables		Sex		PR^a a) PR: prevalence ratios adjusted for age, using the male sex as the reference category. (95%CI)^b b) 95%CI: 95% confidence interval.
Variables		Male	Female
Frequency of feeling sad or depressed
	Never	26.2	12.1	0.44 (0.39;0.51)
	Rarely	44.3	38.2	0.86 (0.80;0.92)
	Often	26.2	43.0	1.67 (1.52;1.84)
	All the time	3.4	6.8	2.09 (1.65;2.65)
Frequency of feeling anxious or nervous
	Never	16.6	8.5	0.49 (0.42;0.57)
	Rarely	40.3	30.6	0.74 (0.69;0.80)
	Often	35.4	46.4	1.33 (1.24;1.44)
	All the time	7.7	14.4	1.95 (1.60;2.38)
Sleep problems
	Prior sleep problems increased	39.6	53.7	1.41 (1.25;1.58)
	Start of sleep problems	37.1	49.8	1.35 (1.24;1.48)

Variables		No prior depression	Prior depression	PR^a a) PR: prevalence ratio adjusted for sex and age, using ‘no prior depression’ as the reference category. (95%CI)^b b) 95%CI: 95% confidence intervals.
Frequency of feeling sad or depressed
	Never	20.9	5.4	0.30 (0.22;0.42)
	Rarely	43.9	24.6	0.57 (0.51;0.64)
	Often	31.3	57.6	1.59 (1.44;1.74)
	All the time	3.9	12.4	1.87 (1.47;2.36)
Frequency of feeling anxious or nervous
	Never	13.8	3.6	0.31 (0.22;0.45)
	Rarely	38.3	17.1	0.47 (0.41;0.54)
	Often	38.8	55.9	1.35 (1.26;1.46)
	All the time	9.2	23.3	2.26 (1.92;2.66)
Sleep problems
	Prior sleep problems increased	43.1	62.1	1.35 (1.23;1.49)
	Start of sleep problems	42.2	56.5	1.24 (1.12;1.37)

Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde e Ambiente - Ministério da Saúde do Brasil SRTVN Quadra 701, Via W5 Norte, Lote D, Edifício P0700, CEP: 70719-040, +55 61 3315-3464, Fax: +55 61 3315-3464 - Brasília - DF - Brazil
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[1] Correspondence: Marilisa Berti de Azevedo Barros – Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Departamento de Saúde Coletiva, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Rua Tessália Vieira de Camargo, No. 126, Barão Geraldo, Campinas, SP, Brazil. Postcode: 13083-894 E-mail: marilisa@unicamp.br