Mental disorder symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic in Latin America – a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Aims There is a lack of evidence related to the prevalence of mental health symptoms as well as their heterogeneities during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Latin America, a large area spanning the equator. The current study aims to provide meta-analytical evidence on mental health symptoms during COVID-19 among frontline healthcare workers, general healthcare workers, the general population and university students in Latin America. Methods Bibliographical databases, such as PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, PsycINFO and medRxiv, were systematically searched to identify pertinent studies up to August 13, 2021. Two coders performed the screening using predefined eligibility criteria. Studies were assigned quality scores using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. The double data extraction method was used to minimise data entry errors. Results A total of 62 studies with 196 950 participants in Latin America were identified. The pooled prevalence of anxiety, depression, distress and insomnia was 35%, 35%, 32% and 35%, respectively. There was a higher prevalence of mental health symptoms in South America compared to Central America (36% v. 28%, p < 0.001), in countries speaking Portuguese (40%) v. Spanish (30%). The pooled prevalence of mental health symptoms in the general population, general healthcare workers, frontline healthcare workers and students in Latin America was 37%, 34%, 33% and 45%, respectively. Conclusions The high yet heterogenous level of prevalence of mental health symptoms emphasises the need for appropriate identification of psychological interventions in Latin America.

How COVID-19 shaped mental health: from infection to pandemic effects

“…Most studies examining the pandemic impact on mental health used online data collection methods to measure self-reported common indicators, such as mood, anxiety or general psychological distress. Pooled prevalence estimates of clinically relevant high levels of depression and anxiety symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic range widely-between 20% and 35% [9][10][11][12] -but are difficult to interpret due to large methodological and sample heterogeneity. It also is important to note that high levels of self-reported mental health problems identify increased vulnerability and signal an increased risk for mental disorders, but they do not equal clinical caseness levels, which are generally much lower.…”

Adherence to 24-h Movement Guidelines and Depressive Status During the Coronavirus Disease Outbreak: A Cross-Sectional Japanese Survey

“…The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has drastically affected the economy and people's lifestyles worldwide [1,2] Physical activity (PA) decreased during the pandemic due to implementing a quarantined lifestyle [3] Sadly, behavioral changes such as decreased PA and prolonged sedentary behavior (SB) may increase the risk of adverse health outcomes, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and depression [4,5]. The prevalence of depression during the COVID-19 pandemic was reportedly 27%-45% worldwide and has become a serious public health concern [6][7][8][9][10][11].…”

Validation of the Collaborative Outcomes study on Health and Functioning during Infection Times (COH-FIT) questionnaire for adults

“…COVID-19 has infected over 530 million people and caused almost 6.3 million deaths up to June 1st, 2022, since its breakout, globally ( Dong et al, 2020 ). The indirect impact of COVID-19 on mental health of the general population ( Dragioti et al, 2021 ) and of specific groups ( Chen et al, 2022 ; Dragioti et al, 2022 ; Leung et al, 2022 ; Zhang et al, 2022 ) of the populatio B17 n has been studied by several anonymous surveys. Mental health surveys published in the early stage of the pandemic recruited on average 5137 respondents and a maximum of 56,679 respondents ( Lin et al, 2021 ), in adults.…”