The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health in individuals with pre-existing mental illness

Lewis, Katie J. S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3818-9377, Lewis, Catrin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3818-9377, Roberts, Alice, Richards, Natalie A., Evison, Claudia, Pearce, Holly A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2771-003X, Lloyd, Keith, Meudell, Alan, Edwards, Bethan M., Robinson, Catherine A., Poole, Rob, John, Ann, Bisson, Jonathan I. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5170-1243 and Jones, Ian ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5821-5889 2022. The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health in individuals with pre-existing mental illness. BJPsych Open 8 (2) , e59. 10.1192/bjo.2022.25

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Abstract

Background: There is evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected mental health, but most studies have been conducted in the general population. Aims: To identify factors associated with mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic in individuals with pre-existing mental illness. Method: Participants (N = 2869, 78% women, ages 18–94 years) from a UK cohort (the National Centre for Mental Health) with a history of mental illness completed a cross-sectional online survey in June to August 2020. Mental health assessments were the GAD-7 (anxiety), PHQ-9 (depression) and WHO-5 (well-being) questionnaires, and a self-report question on whether their mental health had changed during the pandemic. Regressions examined associations between mental health outcomes and hypothesised risk factors. Secondary analyses examined associations between specific mental health diagnoses and mental health. Results: A total of 60% of participants reported that mental health had worsened during the pandemic. Younger age, difficulty accessing mental health services, low income, income affected by COVID-19, worry about COVID-19, reduced sleep and increased alcohol/drug use were associated with increased depression and anxiety symptoms and reduced well-being. Feeling socially supported by friends/family/services was associated with better mental health and well-being. Participants with a history of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder or eating disorder were more likely to report that mental health had worsened during the pandemic than individuals without a history of these diagnoses. Conclusions: We identified factors associated with worse mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic in individuals with pre-existing mental illness, in addition to specific groups potentially at elevated risk of poor mental health during the pandemic.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	National Centre for Mental Health (PNCMH) Medicine MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics (CNGG)
Additional Information:	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
ISSN:	2056-4724
Funders:	Wellcome Trust
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	28 February 2022
Date of Acceptance:	7 February 2022
Last Modified:	06 Nov 2024 22:39
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/147859

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