Prevalence of psychological disorders in the COVID-19 epidemic in China: A real world cross-sectional study

Abstract Objective : This study aimed to explore the prevalence of psychological disorders and associated factors at different stages of the COVID-19 epidemic in China. Methods : The mental health status of respondents was assessed via the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7) scale. Results : 5657 individuals participated in this study. History of chronic disease was a common risk factor for severe present depression (OR 2.2, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.82-2.66, p Limitation :The cross-sectional design of present study presents inference about causality. The present psychological assessment was based on an online survey and on self-report tools, albeit using established instruments. We cannot estimate the participation rate, since we cannot know how many potential subjects received and opened the link for the survey. Conclusions : Females, non-medical workers and those with a history of chronic diseases have had higher risks for depression, insomnia, and anxiety. Positive COVID-19 infection status was associated with higher risk of depression, insomnia, and anxiety in medical workers.