Changes in Anxiety, Depression, and Stress in 1 Week and 1 Month Later After the Wuhan Shutdown Against the COVID-19 Epidemic

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in Chinese residents' psychological state and its influencing factors after the Wuhan shutdown on January 23, 2020. Methods: Two surveys were conducted on February 1-5 and February 20-24, separately, using an online self-administrated questionnaire among 3145 and 3814 participants, respectively. Subjective indicators of daily-life changes include level of attention, risk of infection, impact of daily life, self-perceived health status, and mental health help-seeking. Individual scores on changes in anxiety, depression, and stress were generated by 6-item, 4-item, and 3-item questions. A multivariate regression model was fitted in each survey, separately and combined. Results: A total of 6959 residents participated in the study, with 32.78% male and 67.22% female, people living in Wuhan and other cities in Hubei Province accounted for 25.22% and 18.85%, respectively. One week after the Wuhan shutdown, their anxiety, depression, and stress had all increased. Compared with the first survey, the changes in the scores of anxiety, depression, and stress in the second survey were decreased (β = -1.220, -0.798, and -0.623, all P < 0.001). The level of attention, risk of infection, and self-perceived health status tended to be positively associated with the changes in the scores of anxiety, depression, and stress. Conclusions: The study showed that the lives and psychological conditions of residents had undergone negative changes after the Wuhan shutdown, but the measures taken during this period were effective. These results may provide guidance for public health policies in other countries and regions.