The DOI matches its Crossref record; 38 of the 39 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Prevalence and Predictors of Anxiety and Depression Symptoms during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Compliance with Precautionary Measures: Age and Sex Matter
Open accessAbstract
Effective management of the global pandemic caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (also known as COVID-19), resulted in the implementation of severe restrictions in movement and enforcement of social distancing measures. This study aimed to understand and characterize the psychosocial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in the general population and to identify risks and protective factors that predict changes in mental health status. In addition, the study investigated compliance with precautionary measures (PM) to halt the spread of the virus. The online anonymous survey collected information on sociodemographic data, compliance with PM, quality of life (QOL), and mental health via the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). A total of 1642 adult participants (71.6% women, 28.4% men) completed the survey in the European island country, Cyprus. A large percentage (48%) reported significant financial concerns and 66.7% significant changes in their QOL. About 41% reported symptoms associated with mild anxiety; 23.1% reported moderate-severe anxiety symptoms. Concerning depression, 48% reported mild and 9.2% moderate-severe depression symptoms. Women, younger age (18–29), student status, unemployment status, prior psychiatric history, and those reporting greater negative impact on their QOL, were at higher risk for increased anxiety and depression symptoms (p < 0.05). The youngest age group and males also reported lower levels of compliance with PM. Higher compliance with PM predicted lower depression scores (p < 0.001) but higher anxiety for measures related to personal hygiene. The results of this study provide important data on the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak on mental health and QOL and identify a variety of personal and social determinants that serve as risks and protective factors. Furthermore, it has implications for policy makers demonstrating the need for effective mental health programs and guidance for the implementation of PM as a public health strategy.
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“The levels of clinically significant anxiety and depression observed in this sample of healthcare professionals are higher than those reported in the general Cypriot population (23.1% and 9.2%, respectively) during the COVID‐19 pandemic (Solomou & Constantinidou, 2020).”
From Beyond the physical risk: Psychosocial impact and coping in healthcare professionals during the COVID‐19 pandemic. (2025) · cites this paper as Solomou & Constantinidou, 2020
In the citing paper
“and data about the COVID-19 pandemic have echoed these findings.16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21”
From Trajectories of anxiety and depressive symptoms during enforced isolation due to COVID-19 in England: a longitudinal observational study (2021) · cites this paper as [17]
In the citing paper
“Previous studies during the COVID-19 pandemic have already highlighted that women and younger adults had higher levels of anxiety and depression than men and older adults,4, 17, 18 but our data show that these groups have also had faster improvements in their symptoms.”
From Trajectories of anxiety and depressive symptoms during enforced isolation due to COVID-19 in England: a longitudinal observational study (2021) · cites this paper as [17]
In the citing paper
“Similarly, there has been some indication that pre-existing psychiatric conditions are a risk factor for poorer mental health outcomes,22 which has also been echoed by data from the COVID-19 pandemic.16, 17”
From Trajectories of anxiety and depressive symptoms during enforced isolation due to COVID-19 in England: a longitudinal observational study (2021) · cites this paper as [17]
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Citations
Cites
A Brief Measure for Assessing Generalized Anxiety Disorder: The GAD-7
Spitzer, R. L., Kroenke, K., Williams, J. B. W., & Löwe, B. (2006) · Archives of Internal Medicine · doi:10.1001/archinte.166.10.1092 · Cited by 31,765 · cited 1×
“Both questionnaires were designed for self-administration and have been validated in the general population [19,20].”
MethodThe Psychological Impact of Quarantine and How to Reduce It: Rapid Review of the Evidence
Brooks, S. K., Webster, R. K., Smith, L. E., Woodland, L., Wessely, S., Greenberg, N., & Rubin, G. J. (2020) · doi:10.2139/ssrn.3532534 · Cited by 16,394
The psychological impact of quarantine and how to reduce it: Rapid review of the evidence
Brooks, S. K., Webster, R. K., Smith, L. E., Woodland, L., Wessely, S., Greenberg, N., & Rubin, G. J. (2020) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(20)30460-8 · Cited by 16,378 · cited 2×
“(2020) assert that their duration should be limited and only for the absolute period necessary to control the climax of the pandemic [8].”
BackgroundWang, C., Pan, R., Wan, X., Tan, Y., Xu, L., Ho, C. S., & Ho, R. C. (2020) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph17051729 · Cited by 9,923 · cited 6×
“1% reported moderate to severe stress levels [16].”
BackgroundResultInfluentialThe psychological impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on college students in China
Cao, W., Fang, Z., Hou, G., Han, M., Xu, X., Dong, J., & Zheng, J. (2020) · Psychiatry Research · doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2020.112934 · Cited by 5,843 · cited 2×
“The study findings expand our limited knowledge about the psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic [16,17] and raise significant concerns regarding potential lingering effects of these immediate”
BackgroundLöwe, B., Decker, O., Müller, S., Brähler, E., Schellberg, D., Herzog, W., & Herzberg, P. Y. (2008) · Medical Care · doi:10.1097/mlr.0b013e318160d093 · Cited by 4,527 · cited 1×
“The total score was divided into 0–4 normal, 5–9 mild anxiety, 10–14 moderate anxiety 15–21 severe anxiety [21].”
BackgroundThe reproductive number of COVID-19 is higher compared to SARS coronavirus
Liu, Y., Gayle, A. A., Wilder‐Smith, A., & Rocklöv, J. (2020) · Journal of Travel Medicine · doi:10.1093/jtm/taaa021 · Cited by 3,243 · cited 1×
“However, the rapidly forming situation of the COVID-19, the rate of transmission, and the number of people infected in over 150 countries, to date, created an unprecedented situation of global proportions [2,3].”
BackgroundSARS control and psychological effects of quarantine, Toronto, Canada
Hawryluck, L., Gold, W. L., Robinson, S., Pogorski, S., Galea, S., & Styra, R. (2004) · Emerging Infectious Diseases · doi:10.3201/eid1007.030703 · Cited by 1,929
The ESEMeD/MHEDEA 2000 Investigators, Alonso, J., Angermeyer, M. C., Bernert, S., Bruffaerts, R., Brugha, T. S., Bryson, H., de Girolamo, G., de Graaf, R., Demyttenaere, K., et al. (2004) · Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica · doi:10.1111/j.1600-0047.2004.00327.x · Cited by 1,825 · cited 1×
“9%, respectively, which is the prevalence reported in the European Study of the Epidemiology of Mental Disorders during normal conditions [23].”
BackgroundCost of disorders of the brain in Europe 2010
Gustavsson, A., Svensson, M., Jacobi, F., Allgulander, C., Alonso, J., Beghi, E., Dodel, R., Ekman, M., Faravelli, C., Fratiglioni, L., et al. (2011) · European Neuropsychopharmacology · doi:10.1016/j.euroneuro.2011.08.008 · Cited by 1,723
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Fancourt, D., Steptoe, A., & Bu, F. (2021) · The Lancet Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/s2215-0366(20)30482-x · Cited by 1,161
Browning, M. H. E. M., Larson, L. R., Sharaievska, I., Rigolon, A., McAnirlin, O., Mullenbach, L., Cloutier, S., Vu, T. M., Thomsen, J., Reigner, N., et al. (2021) · PLOS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0245327 · Cited by 888
Prevalence of anxiety in the COVID-19 pandemic: An updated meta-analysis of community-based studies
Santabárbara, J., Lasheras, I., Lipnicki, D. M., Bueno‐Notivol, J., Pérez-Moreno, M. A., López‐Antón, R., de la Cámara, C., Lobo, A., & Gracia‐García, P. (2020) · Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.110207 · Cited by 461
Impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of US college students
Lee, J., Solomon, M., Stead, T. G., Kwon, B., & Ganti, L. (2021) · BMC Psychology · doi:10.1186/s40359-021-00598-3 · Cited by 260
“Consistent with these results, reports indicate that people of student status and ages 18–24 are at higher risk of anxiety and depression [12].”
ResultExploring perceived stress among students in Turkey during the COVID-19 pandemic
Aslan, I., Ochnik, D., & Çınar, O. (2020) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph17238961 · Cited by 255
Metadata
- Authors
- Solomou, I., & Constantinidou, F.
- Affiliations
- University of Cyprus (CY)
- Corresponding author
- Constantinidou, Fofi
- Venue
- International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
- Publisher
- MDPI AG
- Published
- 2020-07-08
- Volume
- 17
- Issue
- 14
- Pages
- 4924
- ISSN
- 1660-4601 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC7400373
- OpenAlex
- W3041468347
- Cited by
- 591
- References
- 39
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 22 · 2024: 52 · 2023: 92 · 2022: 197 · 2021: 185 · 2020: 35
- FWCI
- 50.84
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- dx.doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › COVID-19 and Mental Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Keywords
- COVID-19 pandemic, anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, quality of life, mental health, risk and protective factors, age and sex differences, financial concerns, unemployment, social distancing, personal hygiene, Cyprus
- MeSH terms
- Betacoronavirus, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Adolescent, Adult, Anxiety, Cyprus, Depression, Female, Humans, Male, Mental Health, Middle Aged, Patient Compliance, Pneumonia, Viral, Quality of Life, Surveys and Questionnaires, Prevalence, Universal Precautions, Coronavirus Infections, Young Adult, Pandemics
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