LAUSR

Objective To examine the changes in depression and anxiety symptoms among Brazilian adults over 10 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Study design The present study used data from wave 1 (June/July, 2020) and wave 2 (December, 2020/January, 2021) of the Prospective Study About Mental and Physical Health (PAMPA) Cohort, a state-level, ambispective longitudinal study with adults from southern Brazil. The frequency of anxiety and depressive symptoms was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Anxiety and depressive symptoms before social distancing were retrospectively assessed during wave 1. Results Most of the 674 participants were classified as non-symptomatic for depressive (85.0%) and anxiety symptoms (73.2%) before the COVID-19 pandemic. At wave 1 there were increases in symptoms of depression (7.6% [95%CI: 7.2%; 8.1%]) and anxiety (9.1% [95%CI: 8.6%; 9.5%]). These decreased at wave 2 (depression: 6.9% [95%CI: 6.5%; 7.2%]; anxiety: 7.4% [95%CI: 7.1%; 7.8%]) although they were still elevated compared to pre-COVID (depression: 4.5% [95%CI: 4.2%; 4.8%]; anxiety: 5.8% [95%CI: 5.5%; 6.1%]). Adults living alone (b=0.44 [95%CI: 0.07; 0.82]) had a faster trajectory in anxiety symptoms than their counterparts. Cohort members who were living alone (b=0.24 [95%CI: 0.06; 0.42]) and with diagnosed chronic disease (0.32 [95%CI: 0.18; 0.46]) had a faster increase in depressive symptoms than their respective counterparts. Participants aged 60 or showed a slower trajectory of depressive (b= -0.46 [95%CI: -0.73; -0.18]) and anxiety (b=-0.61 [95%CI: -1.20; -0.02) symptoms. Conclusions During 10 months of COVID-19 anxiety and depression symptoms improved but were still higher than before COVID-19.