March 15, 2021

Association of Acute Symptoms of COVID-19 and Symptoms of Depression in Adults

Category: Article Summary

Topic: Mental Health and Personal Impact

Keywords (Tags): mental health personal impact

• Over 3,900 people with prior COVID-19 completed an internet survey between May 2020 and January 2021, with more than half (51.4%) meeting screening criteria for having moderate or greater symptoms of major depression.  Depressive symptoms were less likely among older people (aOR by decade = 0.76), women (aOR = 0.72), and those with less severe COVID-19 (somewhat vs. not at all severe aOR = 2.59; very vs. not severe = 5.09). Headache was also associated with a greater likelihood of depressive symptoms (aOR = 1.33). The authors note depressive symptoms cannot be attributed to new onset of depression, but that there may be neuropsychiatric sequelae of COVID-19 infection.

Perlis et al. (Mar 12, 2021). Association of Acute Symptoms of COVID-19 and Symptoms of Depression in Adults. JAMA Network Open. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.3223