"It's the economy, stupid": Lessons of a longitudinal study of depression in Argentina

BADELLINO, HÉCTOR; GOBBO, MARÍA EMILIA; TORRES, VICTOR E.; ASCHIERI, MARÍA EMILIA; BIOTTI, MARTÍN; ALVAREZ, VALENTINA; GIGANTE, CAMILA; CACHIARELLI, MABEL

THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHIATRY.

SAGE Publications Ltd

Año: 2021 p. 1 - 1

0020-7640

ackground: On March 20, 2020, the Argentine Ministry of Health imposed a mandatory quarantine, which still persists. Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the variation in the prevalence of depression since the beginning of the quarantine and the evolution of risk factors, with special emphasis on the population?s concerns. Methods: A longitudinal study was carried out using a digital questionnaire disseminated in social networks. The first stage (T1) was carried out from March 29 to April 12 and the second stage (T2) from May 23 to June 12, 2020. The prevalence of depression was measured using the 9-item Patients Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Results: The prevalence of moderate/severe depression increased from 24.3% in T1 to 47.8% in T2 (p: 0.000). Risk factors increased significantly: age 18?27, female, primary and secondary school, smoking and having a poor sleep quality (p: 0.000). The concerns about ?a family member getting sick? (OR: 1.28; CI: 1.04?1.58; p: 0.016), ?changes