Depression soared as a result of the pandemic

By Stephen Beech via SWNS

Depression soared as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic - whether or not people were infected by the virus, reveals new research.

The study of more than 135,000 people found rates and severity of depressive symptoms increased "significantly" during the pandemic - regardless of whether they were infected with the COVID-19 virus.

More than half of all patients reported some degree of clinically-relevant depressive symptoms, say scientists.

The research team at Intermountain Health in Utah said the pandemic had an impact on just about every aspect of people’s lives. From lockdown and quarantining to social distancing and an ever-changing landscape of rules and restrictions, creating stress and isolation that impacted the mental health of millions.

Study principal investigator Doctor Heidi May said: “It didn’t matter if a patient was positive or negative for the virus.

"We found increased rates of depression and depression severity across the board.

“As poor mental health can impact chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, screening for and treating mental health is a critical part of any overall patient care process right now.

"Doing so will both help patients in this moment, and protect their future health.”

The research team looked at 135,864 patients who completed a questionnaire used to screen for depression in a primary care setting from January 1, 2016, to April 20 next year.

They analyzed how those scores, which categorize patients’ depression, changed over time.

The researchers found a "significant" increase in scores.

They also found that before the pandemic, around 45 percent of patients reported some degree of depression.

Starting in 2021, that changed to 55 percent of patients showing at least some degree of depression.

However, there was no significant difference in scores among Covid positive and negative patients.

Depression, anxiety, stress, and PTSD are linked to higher rates of high blood pressure and higher levels of cortisol, which can lead to calcium build-up in the arteries, metabolic disease, and heart disease.

Dr. May, a cardiovascular epidemiologist at Intermountain Health, added: “We know depression is a risk factor for chronic disease, so given these findings, it’s really important to mitigate some of the effects of depression so these patients can lead healthier and happier lives right now, and in the future."

The findings are due to be presented at the American College of Cardiology’s annual scientific session in New Orleans.