Affective sphere features in women of reproductive and menopausal periods during the pandemic of the novel coronavirus infection COVID-19

Abstract

Relevance of problem. The new coronavirus infection COVID-19 was first reported in China in 2019 and began to spread very quickly around the world, causing the pandemic. COVID-19 has caused a wide range of psychological problems. Objective: to assess the level of depression, anxiety and stress in women of the reproductive and menopausal periods in the conditions of the pandemic of the novel coronavirus infection. Materials and methods. An anonymous questionnaire was conducted among the patients who were examined in September 2021 on the basis of the SHI SR Krasnoarmeyskaya Regional Hospital. The patients were divided into two groups. The first group included the patients of reproductive period aged from 23 to 44 years; the second group – of menopausal age, from 48 to 64 years. Results. The patients of the first group prevailed among those who were afraid of potential financial difficulties, severe social consequences, the lack of special COVID-19 therapy, the risk to the health and life of relatives and friends, and to their own lives, the high contagiousness of the virus, the lack of sales of protective equipment and the possible lack of medicines. The patients of the second group were more worried about the risk of prolonged isolation. The women of the reproductive period were more exposed to subclinically expressed anxiety, experienced an average level of stress and had a depressive disorder of moderate severity. The menopausal women were more characterized by low stress, mild depressive disorder and a normal level of anxiety. Conclusions. The women of reproductive age were more likely to worry about their own lives, as well as the health and lives of relatives and friends, the social consequences of the pandemic and the lack of medicines and special therapy COVID-19, and also suffered subclinically expressed anxiety to a greater extent. The women of menopausal period experienced low levels of stress and did not suffer from depression. The patients of menopausal age had a normal level of anxiety.