Amy Dawel|Yiyun Shou|Michael Smithson|Nicolas Cherbuin|Michelle Banfield|Alison L. Calear|Louise Farrer|Darren Gray|Amelia Gulliver|Tambri Housen|Sonia McCallum|Alyssa R. Morse|Kristen Murray|Eryn J. Newman|Rachael Harris|Philip J. Batterham
The Effect of COVID-19 on Mental Health and Wellbeing in a Representative Sample of Australian Adults
Australian National University|Australian National University|Australian National University|Australian National University|Australian National University|Australian National University|Australian National University|Australian National University|Australian National University|Australian National University|Australian National University|Australian National University|Australian National University|Australian National University|Australian National University|Australian National University
minimal knowledge impact largescale epidemics community mental health particularly acute phase gap knowledge means critically illequipped support communities face unprecedented covid19 pandemic study aimed provide data urgently needed inform government policy resource allocation future crises study first survey representative sample australian population early acute phase covid19 pandemic depression anxiety psychological wellbeing measured wellvalidated scales phq9 gad7 who5 using linear regression tested associations mental health exposure covid19 impacts covid19 work social functioning sociodemographic factors depression anxiety symptoms substantively elevated relative usual population data including individuals existing mental health diagnosis exposure covid19 minimal association mental health outcomes recent exposure australian bushfires also unrelated depression anxiety although bushfire smoke exposure correlated reduced psychological wellbeing contrast pandemicinduced impairments work social functioning strongly associated elevated depression anxiety symptoms well decreased psychological wellbeing financial distress due pandemic rather job loss per se also key correlate poorer mental health findings suggest minimizing disruption work social functioning increasing access mental health services community important policy goals minimize pandemicrelated impacts mental health wellbeing innovative creative strategies needed meet community needs continuing enact vital public health strategies control spread covid19