The Effect of COVID-19 on Mental Health and Wellbeing in a Representative Sample of Australian Adults

Amy Dawel; Yiyun Shou; Michael Smithson; Nicolas Cherbuin; Michelle Banfield; Alison L Calear; Louise M Farrer; Darren Gray; Amelia Gulliver; Tambri Housen; Sonia M McCallum; Alyssa R Morse; Kristen Murray; Eryn Newman; Rachael M Rodney Harris; Philip J Batterham

doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2020.579985

The Effect of COVID-19 on Mental Health and Wellbeing in a Representative Sample of Australian Adults

Front Psychiatry. 2020 Oct 6:11:579985. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.579985. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Amy Dawel¹, Yiyun Shou¹, Michael Smithson¹, Nicolas Cherbuin², Michelle Banfield³, Alison L Calear³, Louise M Farrer³, Darren Gray⁴, Amelia Gulliver³, Tambri Housen⁵, Sonia M McCallum³, Alyssa R Morse³, Kristen Murray¹, Eryn Newman¹, Rachael M Rodney Harris⁵, Philip J Batterham³

Affiliations

¹ Research School of Psychology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
² Centre for Research on Ageing, Health and Wellbeing, Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
³ Centre for Mental Health Research, Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
⁴ Department of Global Health, Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
⁵ National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.

Abstract

There is minimal knowledge about the impact of large-scale epidemics on community mental health, particularly during the acute phase. This gap in knowledge means we are critically ill-equipped to support communities as they face the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to provide data urgently needed to inform government policy and resource allocation now and in other future crises. The study was the first to survey a representative sample from the Australian population at the early acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Depression, anxiety, and psychological wellbeing were measured with well-validated scales (PHQ-9, GAD-7, WHO-5). Using linear regression, we tested for associations between mental health and exposure to COVID-19, impacts of COVID-19 on work and social functioning, and socio-demographic factors. Depression and anxiety symptoms were substantively elevated relative to usual population data, including for individuals with no existing mental health diagnosis. Exposure to COVID-19 had minimal association with mental health outcomes. Recent exposure to the Australian bushfires was also unrelated to depression and anxiety, although bushfire smoke exposure correlated with reduced psychological wellbeing. In contrast, pandemic-induced impairments in work and social functioning were strongly associated with elevated depression and anxiety symptoms, as well as decreased psychological wellbeing. Financial distress due to the pandemic, rather than job loss per se, was also a key correlate of poorer mental health. These findings suggest that minimizing disruption to work and social functioning, and increasing access to mental health services in the community, are important policy goals to minimize pandemic-related impacts on mental health and wellbeing. Innovative and creative strategies are needed to meet these community needs while continuing to enact vital public health strategies to control the spread of COVID-19.

Keywords: COVID-19; anxiety; bushfire; coronavirus; depression; financial strain; mental health.