Global prevalence and determinants of mental health disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis

• Published in: Annals of medicine and surgery Vol. 68; p. 102634
• Main Authors: Chekole, Yigrem Ali, Abate, Semagn Mekonnen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01-08-2021; Elsevier
• Subjects: Anxiety; Coronavirus; COVID-19; Depression; Global; Systematic Review / Meta-analysis; COVID-19; Depression; Anxiety; Coronavirus; Global
• ISSN: 2049-0801; 2049-0801
• DOI: 10.1016/j.amsu.2021.102634

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has infected more than 5 million and lost the lives of more than 300 thousand people globally. It is the first-ever deadly pandemic with a significant degree of fear, worry and concern in the population at large. Therefore, this Meta-Analysis aims to assess the global prevalence and determinants of mental health disorders.
A three-stage search strategy was conducted on PubMed/Medline, Science direct LILACS and PsycINFO databases. The Heterogeneity among the included studies was checked with forest plot, χ2 test, I2 test, and the p-values. Publication bias was checked with a funnel plot and the objective diagnostic test was conducted with Egger's correlation, Begg's regression tests, and Trim and fill method.
The Meta-Analysis revealed that the pooled prevalence of anxiety and depression 33.59% (95% confidence interval (CI): 27.21 to 39.97, 30 studies, 88,543 participants) and 29.98% (95% confidence interval (CI): 25.32 to 34.64, 25 studies, 78,191 participants) respectively.
The review revealed that more than thirty percent of patients developed anxiety and depression during COVID-19 Pandemic. This presages the health care stakeholders to prevent and intervene in mental health disorders.
This review was registered in Prospero international prospective register of systematic reviews (CRD42020183146).
•This Meta-analysis revealed that depression and anxiety were very high among the students•The Meta-analysis revealed that the risk of depression was associated with occupation and comorbidity.•The review also showed that anxiety was increased by eighty-eight percent in female as compared to males•This study presages the health care stakeholders to prevent and manage long term implications of mental health disorders.