The article uniquely looked at changes in psychological anxiety. Report led by Corinne Leach, a senior principal investigator, the American Cancer Society, used data from the American Cancer Study’s Cancer Prevention Study-3 (CPS-3) cohort from two waves, 2018 and July-September 2020, to characterize the level of mental anxiety in U.S. men and women during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The study also identified factors associated with increased depression and anxiety during a pandemic, including socio-demographic characteristics, stressors, and other illnesses associated with an increased risk of poor COVID-19 outcomes. Secondarily, the association of these factors with a longitudinal change in psychological anxiety was examined.
Economic stressors, such as job loss and lower pay, or work-life balance stressors, such as caring responsibilities, were examined. According to the data, individuals with such life stressors were more likely to have an increase in psychological suffering during a pandemic.
According to the report, adults continue to experience mental anxiety after the initial closing time. The results of this and previous studies support the importance of regular mental health assessment and subsequent mental health support among those with a history of mental health problems who can be isolated to keep themselves safe from COVID-19 or other infections.
The results also underscore the importance of investigating the ongoing and long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, as the social distance previously associated with depression and anxiety continues to be promoted for more than a year in the pandemic and is slowly reopening worldwide , when people adjust to the new normal.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has created a number of learning opportunities to improve the mental health of the population during and after pandemics, natural disasters or other life-changing events, and regular mental health assessments by health professionals are needed to provide better support to people at risk or already experiencing anxiety and depression, “the authors said.
They further said, “This data from the American Cancer Study’s Cancer Prevention Study-3 (CPS-3) cohort in particular will help physicians identify populations that are prone to permanent mental health and other long-term problems for prior clinical support.”
Source: ANI