Effects on Mental Health After the COVID-19 Lockdown Period: Results From a Population Survey Study in Lima, Peru

Abstract

Background: COVID-19 has created a rapid onset health crisis severely affecting different countries, such as Peru. This pandemic also involved social changes, such as the COVID-19 lockdown, which has had negative effects on different aspects of peoples’ mental health. For this reason, the main objective of this work is to establish a model that explains the effects of the COVID-19-lockdown period on the mental health of a population sample in Peru. Methods: In this sense, online questionnaires were carried out using the PHQ-9, GAD-7, and CPDI in 400 participants. To better explain the data, an ordinal logistic regression was carried out. Results: The model showed that the severity of stress due to COVID-19 is positively associated with the variables age (OR = 1.02; CI95 [1.01; 1.04]), depression (OR = 1.29; CI95 [1.14; 1.31]) and anxiety (OR = 1.49; CI95 [1.35; 1.66]), as well as with the presence of a deceased relative due to COVID-19 (OR = 3.53; CI95 [1.43; 8.82]). On the contrary, the presence of a family member who was hospitalized for COVID-19 is negatively correlated with COVID-19 related stress (OR = 0.30; CI95 [0.13; 0.69]). Conclusion: In conclusion, elderly people, having high levels of anxiety or depression, as well as having a deceased relative due to COVID-19 show higher levels of COVID-19 related stress. These factors play an important role in the intervention of future studies that plan to intervene in the mental health of the population affected by the COVID-19 lockdown.