A 16-month longitudinal investigation of risk and protective factors for mental health outcomes throughout three national lockdowns and a mass vaccination campaign: Evidence from a weighted Israeli sample during COVID-19

Nimrod Hertz-Palmor, Shachar Ruppin, Noam Matalon, Mariela Mosheva, Shirel Dorman-Ilan, Yaffa Serur, Asia Avinir, Ehud Mekori-Domachevsky, Ilanit Hasson-Ohayon, Raz Gross, Doron Gothelf, Itai M. Pessach

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: COVID-19 is an ongoing global crisis, with a multitude of factors that affect mental health worldwide. We explored potential predictors for the emergence and maintenance of depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) in the general population in Israel. Methods: Across the span of 16 months, 2478 people completed a repeated self-report survey which inquired psychiatric symptoms and pandemic related stress factors (PRSF). We applied mixed-effects models to assess how each stressor contributes to depression, anxiety and PTSS at each time point, and longitudinally assessed participants who completed at least two consecutive surveys (n = 400). We weighted our sample to increase representativeness of the population. Results: Fatigue was the strongest predictor for depression, anxiety and PTSS at all time points, and predicted deterioration overtime. Financial concerns associated with depression and anxiety at all time points, and with their deterioration overtime. Health related concerns were uniquely associated with anxiety and PTSS at all time points and their deterioration, but not with depression. Improvement in sense of protection overtime associated with decrease in depression and anxiety. Hesitancy towards vaccination was associated to higher financial concerns and lower sense of protection by the authorities. Conclusions: Our findings accentuate the multitude of risk factors for psychiatric morbidity during COVID-19, and the centrality of fatigue in determining mental health outcomes.

Original languageEnglish
Article number115119
JournalPsychiatry Research
Volume323
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2023

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023

Funding

This study was supported by a grant from Foundation Dora and by the Binational Science Foundation (Grant No. 2017369 ). The funding source had no role in the study design, collection, analysis, or interpretation of data, the writing of the article, or decision to submit the article for publication. Nimrod Hertz-Palmor is supported by the Gates Cambridge Trust.

FundersFunder number
Foundation Dora
United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation2017369
Gates Cambridge Trust

    Keywords

    • Anxiety
    • COVID-19
    • Depression
    • Fatigue
    • Posttraumatic stress

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