Impact on Mental Health Due to COVID-19 Pandemic: Cross-Sectional Study in Portugal and Brazil

Abstract

Mental health effects secondary to the COVID-19 pandemic were till recently considered less important or were neglected. Portugal and Brazil are facing the pandemic in quite different ways. This study aimed to describe the mental health status of the general adult population in Portugal and Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic and analyze the differences between the two countries. A cross-sectional quantitative study was based on an online questionnaire. Socio-demographic data were collected in addition to four validated scales: CAGE (acronym cut-annoyed-guilty-eye) Questionnaire, Satisfaction with Life Scale, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 and Patient Health Questionnaire-2. For each outcome, a multiple linear regression was performed. Five hundred and fifty people answered the questionnaire (435 women). The median age was 38 (Q1, Q3: 30, 47) years, 52.5% resided in Brazil and 47.5% in Portugal. The prevalence of anxiety was 71.3% (mild anxiety was present in 43.1%), the prevalence of depression was 24.7% and 23.8% of the sample had both depression and anxiety. Isolation was a significant factor for depression but not for anxiety. Well-being was below average. Mental illness was considerably higher than pre-COVID-19 levels. Portugal and Brazil will have to be prepared for future consequences of poor mental health and contribute immediate psychological support to their adult populations.

COVID-19-Related Fear and Anxiety: Spiritual-Religious Coping in Healthcare Workers in Portugal

“…In the present study, being a female healthcare worker was a predictor of higher levels of both coronavirus-related anxiety and fear of COVID-19. This result is in agreement with recently published studies conducted in the general population of several countries [ 46 , 47 , 48 ], including Portugal [ 5 ]. In these studies, the female gender was found to be more vulnerable psychologically than males during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a higher prevalence of anxiety and/or fear.…”

“…It is recognized that the aforementioned pandemic has negatively affected the mental health of the general population [ 5 ]. For healthcare workers, it was not different.…”

Life Satisfaction during Forced Social Distancing and Home Confinement Derived from the COVID-19 Pandemic in Spain

“…There is no clear evidence about the predictor factors of the psychological impact of quarantine. The results of a study carried out on the Portuguese and Brazilian populations suggested that sociodemographic factors such as being female, having a higher educational level, being a student, living with family members or a partner in the period of social isolation or low levels of depression were significantly associated with increased levels of life satisfaction scores [44]. However, in another study, age, marital status, educational level, co-living status, or having children were not significantly associated with this psychological data [45].…”

South Korean Nurses’ Experiences with Patient Care at a COVID-19-Designated Hospital: Growth after the Frontline Battle against an Infectious Disease Pandemic

“…Research has indicated that due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, people are experiencing high levels of stress, depression, and anxiety, as well as levels of post-traumatic stress that are above the cut-off for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) [5][6][7]. Healthcare professionals who come in close contact with COVID-19 patients are deeply affected by this novel virus and experience mental health challenges, including stress, depression, anxiety, PTSD, and burnout [8][9][10][11][12][13], which can have deleterious effects on their quality of life [11] and increase their turnover intention [14].…”