Nursing

Gerontology

Macroeconomics

Coronavirus

2019-20 coronavirus outbreak

Demography

Depression (economics)

Virology

Psychiatry

Economics

Anxiety

Patient Health Questionnaire

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)

Outbreak

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Psychology

Insomnia

Quality of life (healthcare)

Infectious disease (medical specialty)

Internal medicine

Sociology

Mental health

Epidemiology

Medicine

Depressive symptoms

Clinical psychology

Pandemic

Disease

Journal of Psychosomatic Research

The impact of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the governmental restrictions on mental health have been reported for different countries. This study evaluated mental health during COVID-19 lockdown in Austria and the effect of age, gender, income, work, and physical activity. An online survey was performed through Qualtrics® after four weeks of lockdown in Austria to recruit a representative sample regarding gender, age, education, and region. Indicators of mental health were quality of life (WHO-QOL BREF), well-being (WHO-5), depression (PHQ-9), anxiety (GAD-7), stress (PSS-10), and sleep quality (ISI). In total, N = 1005 individuals were included (53% women). 21% scored above the cut off ≥10 points (PHQ-9) for moderate depressive symptoms, 119% scored above the cut-off ≥10 points (GAD-7) for moderate anxiety symptoms, and 16% above the cut-off ≥15 points (ISI) for clinical insomnia. ANOVAs, Bonferroni-corrected post-hoc tests, and t -tests showed highest mental health problems in adults under 35 years, women, people with no work, and low income (all p -values <.05). Comparisons with a large Austrian sample recruited within the ATHIS 2014 study showed increases of depression and decreases of quality of life in times of COVID-19 as compared to before COVID-19. Depressive symptoms (21%) and anxiety symptoms (19%) are higher during COVID-19 compared to previous epidemiological data. 16% rated over the cut-off for moderate or severe clinical insomnia. The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown seems particularly stressful for younger adults (<35 years), women, people without work, and low income. • Higher prevalence of mental health problems during COVID-19 in Austria. • Depressive symptoms are up to five times more prevalent compared to pre-corona times. • Anxiety symptoms are up to three times more prevalent compared to pre-corona times. • Quality of Life and well-being is lower compared to pre-corona times.

The effect of age, gender, income, work, and physical activity on mental health during coronavirus disease (COVID-19) lockdown in Austria