More than a year of pandemic: Longitudinal assessment of anxiety and depressive symptoms in the Argentine general population during the COVID-19 outbreak

DEL-VALLE, MACARENA VERÓNICA; LÓPEZ-MORALES, HERNÁN; GELPI-TRUDO, ROSARIO; POÓ, FERNANDO; GARCÍA, MATÍAS JONÁS; YERRO-AVINCETTO, MATÍAS; ANDRÉS, MARÍA LAURA; CANET-JURIC, LORENA; URQUIJO, SEBASTIÁN

STRESS AND HEALTH

JOHN WILEY & SONS INC

Año: 2022 vol. 28 p. 1070 - 1079

1532-3005

The COVID-19 pandemic has radically changed daily life and the way we interact with others. It has also brought about negative psychological consequences: several studies have reported increased levels of distress symptomatology at the onset of the pandemic. However, few longitudinal studies have been carried out, and even fewer in low- and middle-income countries. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze longitudinally the anxiety and depressive symptomatology of the Argentine general population during the first thirteen months of the pandemic. The total sample included 988 adults (age 18 -77) from different regions of Argentina. Open-access surveys were distributed via social media at five time points (March, April, May, August 2020 and April 2021). Depression and anxiety symptoms were assessed through the Beck Depression Inventory-II and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Mixed repeated-measures ANOVA were applied, with time as a within-subjects factor, and socioeconomic status, gender, and age group as between-subjects factors. Results showed progressive increases in anxiety (F (27.78, 3417.60) = 62.88, p < .01, ηp2 = .060) and depression (F (3.42, 3373.75) = 84.78, p < .01, ηp2 = .079) symptoms in the general population throughout the pandemic (except for a slight decrease in anxiety at Wave 2). All of the between-subjects factors showed significant effects on both types of symptoms: female gender, younger age and lower income were associated with greater depression and anxiety at all waves. A time-age interaction effect was found (F (10.26, 3364.05) = 2.99, p < .01, ηp2= .009): after the third wave, depressive symptoms tended to decrease or stabilize in the young adult group, whereas in the older groups showed a positive linear increase. This study provided evidence that anxiety and depression symptoms tend to increase during crisis contexts, and that this effect is even more pronounced for certain vulnerable population groups. Mental health monitoring and support interventions should be included in governmental strategies to deal with the long-term effects of the pandemic.