Depression levels of the general public increases during the COVID-19 pandemic in China: A web-based cross-sectional survey.

Abstract

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak lasted several months, having started in December 2019. This study aimed to report the impacts of various factors on the depression levels of the general public and ascertain how emotional measures could be affected by psychosocial factors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aim: To investigate the depression levels of the general public in China during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: A total of 2001 self-reported questionnaires about Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were collected on August 22, 2022 via the website. Each questionnaire included four levels of depression and other demographic information. The BDI scores and incidences of different depression levels were compared between various groups of respondents. χ ² analysis and the two-tailed t-test were used to assess categorical and continuous data, respectively. Multiple linear regressions and logistic regressions were employed for correlation analysis.

Results: The averaged BDI score in this study was higher than that for the non-epidemic periods, as reported in previous studies. Even higher BDI scores and incidences of moderate and severe depression were recorded for people who were quarantined for suspected COVID-19 infection, compared to the respondents who were not quarantined. The participants who did not take protective measures were associated with higher BDI scores than those who made efforts to keep themselves relatively safer. Similarly, the people who did not return to work had higher BDI scores compared to those managed to. A significant association existed between the depression levels of the subgroups and each of the factors, except gender and location of residence. However, quarantine was the most relative predictor for depression levels, followed by failure to take preventive measures and losing a partner, either through divorce or death.

Conclusion: Based on these data, psychological interventions for the various subpopulations in the general public can be implemented during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Other countries can also use the data as a reference.