Mental health determinants during covid-19 in Mexico

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic triggered different psychological problems such as anxiety, depression, and somatization, and the factors that influence the emergence of these problems must be identified. Objective. To identify the sociodemographic and individual variables most strongly associated with the presence of mental health symptoms. Methods: A cross-sectional design was used with an online survey answered by 7,693 participants from the general population in Mexico during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: The odds of developing anxiety was higher in women (aOR = 2.20, 95% CI: 1.36 ̶ 3.57), young adults (aOR = 3.81, 95% CI: 1.44 ̶ 10.06), people with dependent children (aOR = 0.28, 95% CI: 0.12 ̶ 0.67), people with a mental disorder (aOR = 3.33, 95% CI: 1.62 ̶ 6.84), and in those who reported three or more hours a day getting informed about COVID-19 (aOR = 3.32, 95% CI: 1.25 ̶ 8.79). Likewise, middle-aged adults (aOR = 3.00, 95% CI: 1.64 ̶ 5.49), people with health problems (aOR = 2.04, 95% CI: 1.28 ̶ 3.25) and with elderly dependents (aOR = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.17 ̶ 0.75) are collectives with vulnerability factors that also strongly contribute to depression. Conclusions: Gender, age, and information are risk factors for the development of psychological problems during the COVID-19 pandemic. People with mental disorders appear as risk groups.