A considerable part of the population has “mild symptoms of depression” due to Covid-19, concluded an international survey carried out among more than 21.000 people, which in Portugal had as a partner the Institute for Research and Innovation in Health.
In a statement, the Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (i3S) of the University of Porto explains today that the second phase of the survey, called 'Life with Corona', launched about six months ago, was intended to “ continue to assess the social and economic impact of the pandemic worldwide”.
“We try to understand the psychological effects that the pandemic and preventive measures have had on people”, says Liliana Abreu, a Portuguese researcher at the University of Constance (Germany) and who collaborates with i3S through the study.
As of March 4, the study had received 21.552 responses from participants from 136 countries, with “so far, Portugal is the second country with the most participation” in the study, after Germany.
The data obtained show that “a considerable part of the population has mild symptoms of depression” and about 50% of respondents from Portugal, Argentina, Indonesia, United Kingdom and the United States, as well as 40% of Germans, “reveal more severe symptoms of depression. depression".
“The younger generation and families with children are the most affected”, highlights the i3S, adding that one of the identified causes is linked to “the decrease in monthly income”.
“We also realized, contrary to popular belief, that younger people are more likely to have higher levels of depression compared to older people, which exposes the additional burden that younger generations are suffering,” says Liliana Abreu, who was a researcher at i3S.
Data from Portugal, similar to those obtained from other countries, show that “it is evident that mental health was strongly affected by the pandemic”.
“Just having symptoms of the disease can trigger mental health problems. This suggests that the fear of being sick with Covid-19 may be causing higher levels of 'stress',” the researchers note.
At the moment, researchers are comparing how those who live alone and those who live with others react, as well as those who live with children from those who do not.
Data already available on the study's website indicate that people living alone “emerge as the group that had the worst experiences during the pandemic”, being also the most “likely to report lower levels of life satisfaction”.
Individuals who live with another person, on the other hand, have “handled better with the pandemic” and are “less likely to experience depression, anxiety or demonstrate aggressive behavior”.
At the same time, those who live with children “have the worst food consumption indicators” and are more likely to have “experienced greater tensions between members” of the household.
The study, which aims to “record the voices and experiences of citizens around the world during this unusual period”, is translated into 27 languages, with the survey continuing until at least the end of 2021.
Cited in the communiqué, Maria Rui Correia, i3S researcher responsible for disseminating the project in Portugal, calls for the participation of the Portuguese, arguing that only in this way “can we get a real picture of what is happening” in the population.
The 'Life with Corona' initiative came from a team of researchers from the Center for International Security and Development (ISDC) in Germany, from the United Nations University's World Research Institute in Development Economics (UNU-WIDER) in Finland, the Leibniz Institute for Plant and Ornamental Cultures (IGX) in Germany and the Institute for Development Studies (IDS) in the United Kingdom.
In addition to i3S, the project has the participation of institutions and organizations from several countries.
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