Anxiety and depression in the Republic of Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Open accessAbstract
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland precipitated the temporary closure of all non-essential services and a nationwide quarantine as of March 27th, 2020. This study represents the first assessment of the mental health of the nation during the initial phase of the COVID-19 response, as part of a multi-wave investigation into the social, behavioural, and psychological impact of the pandemic.Aims: First, estimate prevalence rates of depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and combined anxiety and depression, and identify risk factors associated with screening positive for anxiety/depression. Second, determine if COVID-19-related anxiety was highest amongst those identified with the greatest mortality risk from the virus. Method: Self-report data from a nationally representative Irish sample (N = 1,041) was collected online between March 31 and April 5; the first week of the Republic of Ireland’s nationwide quarantine measures. Results: A substantial proportion of people screened positive for depression (22.77%), generalized anxiety (20.00%), and anxiety/depression (27.67%). Screening positive for anxiety/depression was associated with younger age, female sex, loss of income due to COVID-19, COVID-19 infection, and higher perceived risk of COVID-19 infection. Citizens aged 65 and older reported significantly higher levels of COVID-19 anxiety than adults aged 18-34. Sex, underlying health conditions, and proximity to COVID-19 deaths were not associated with COVID-19 anxiety.Conclusions: Government responses to the current pandemic should ensure that measures protect not only the population’s physical health, but its mental health also, as an equally important component of health and wellbeing.
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Descriptive data on levels of mental health problems in the present sample are in line with data from other studies that have examined the mental health impacts of COVID-19 lockdowns using the same measures.
“Our descriptive data on the levels of mental health problems in the present sample are in line with data from other studies that have examined the mental health impacts of COVID-19 lockdowns using the same measures employed in the present study.”
From Health Anxiety and Mental Health Outcome During COVID-19 Lockdown in Italy: The Mediating and Moderating Roles of Psychological Flexibility (2020) · cites this paper as Hyland et al., 2020
Overall, this body of data suggests that 17-54% of the general population have experienced moderate to severe traumatic distress, 18-29% anxiety symptoms, and 17-23% depressive symptoms.
“Overall, this body of data suggests that 17–54% of the general population have experienced moderate to severe levels traumatic distress, 18–29% anxiety symptoms, and 17–23% depressive symptoms”
From Health Anxiety and Mental Health Outcome During COVID-19 Lockdown in Italy: The Mediating and Moderating Roles of Psychological Flexibility (2020) · cites this paper as Hyland et al., 2020
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Landi, G., Pakenham, K. I., Boccolini, G., Grandi, S., & Tossani, E. (2020) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.02195 · Cited by 146 · see citing works
- Authors
- Hyland, P., Shevlin, M., McBride, O., Murphy, J., Karatzias, T., Bentall, R., Martinez, A. P., & Vallières, F.
- Affiliations
- National University of Ireland, Maynooth (IE)
- University of Ulster (GB)
- Edinburgh Napier University (GB)
- University of Sheffield (GB)
- Trinity College Dublin (IE)
- Corresponding author
- Hyland, Philip
- ORCID
- Venue
- Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica
- Publisher
- Center for Open Science
- Published
- 2020-04-22
- Volume
- 142
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 249-256
- ISSN
- 0001-690X (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W3044224654
- Cited by
- 580
- References
- 13
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 19 · 2024: 60 · 2023: 105 · 2022: 183 · 2021: 188 · 2020: 19
- FWCI
- 49.54
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Ulster University Research Portal (Ulster University) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
- Maynooth University ePrints and eTheses Archive (Maynooth University) (acceptedVersion)
- Edinburgh Napier Research Repository (Edinburgh Napier University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Edinburgh Napier Research Repository (Edinburgh Napier University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- PsyArXiv (OSF Preprints) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- OSF Preprints (OSF Preprints) (submittedVersion)
- PsyArXiv (OSF Preprints) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Economic and Social Research Council (ES/V004379/1)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › COVID-19 and Mental Health
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
- Keywords
- COVID-19 pandemic, anxiety, depression, generalized anxiety disorder, prevalence, sociodemographic risk factors, quarantine, perceived infection risk, income loss, older adults, Ireland
- MeSH terms
- COVID-19, Adult, Aged, Anxiety, Depression, Female, Humans, Ireland, Male, Mental Health, Middle Aged, Quarantine, Risk Factors, Stress, Psychological, Comorbidity, Prevalence
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