Mental health during the COVID-19 outbreak in Uruguay: the impact of healthy lifestyle behaviors and sociodemographic factors

BACKGROUND: Numerous studies have reported high rates of depressive and anxiety symptoms related to the COVID-19 crisis and the measures implemented to contain the virus spread. Even though restrictive measures such as mandatory lockdown were not applied in Uruguay, mental health could be affected. Moreover, sociodemographic and lifestyle factors could modulate this impact. We aimed to evaluate the impact of the pandemic on depressive and anxiety symptoms among Uruguayan people and examine the associated factors.METHODS: This study was conducted in a non-probabilistic sample of 1051 adults (aged ≥18 years) across Uruguay. Depressive (Beck Depression Inventory-II) and anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) symptoms were assessed along with isolation conditions, sociodemographic factors, and lifestyle behaviors. Linear models were adjusted to analyze the data.RESULTS: Participants in our sample reported mild-to-moderate depressive symptoms and severe anxiety symptoms. Those who entered total isolation reported the highest levels of symptomatology. Also, as days of isolation increased, symptoms increased. Finally, sex, socioeconomic status, age, physical activity, sleeping routines, exposure to light and outdoor activities were shown to influence mental health.CONCLUSIONS: This study illustrates that the COVID-19 outbreak impacts mental health even in a country with mild lockdown. Our results highlight the importance of considering sociodemographic and lifestyle factors when developing clinical intervention programs to mitigate the current crisis’s effects.