Unlabelled: PURPOSE  : To assess gender differences in COVID-19 related changes in home and work responsibilities longitudinally, and determine whether these differences, together with other potential risk and protective factors, are associated with depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology. Method: Symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD were measured using an online survey instrument, between May 2020 and April 2021, in four waves completed at 3-monthly intervals. Analyses were based on data from the COvid MEntal healTh (COMET) survey which investigated the mental health effects of the COVID-19 outbreak spanning 13 countries on five continents in N = 7,909 participants. Results: From the first to the last wave, women reported a greater increase in home and work responsibilities, and had higher depression, anxiety and PTSD scores compared to men. Women who reported a reduction in income due to the pandemic had higher depression scores. Working harder and experiencing a reduction in income were also associated with higher anxiety scores in women but not in men. Women were more likely to score above the cut-off for depression (32.5% vs 23.6%, p < .001), anxiety (21.2% vs 14.4%, p < .001) and PTSD (21.2% vs 14.4%, p < .001) than men during the first wave. Stronger reliance on socially supported coping mechanisms was a risk factor for depression, anxiety and PTSD in men and women. Conclusion: Women were more likely to report mental health problems which may be related to the gender disproportionate increase in home and work responsibilities but not necessarily due to COVID-19 stressors.

Mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic: An international comparison of gender-related home and work-related responsibilities, and social support / Eugene, Dominique; Nöthling, Jani; Tarsitani, Lorenzo; Palantza, Christina; Papola, Davide; Barbui, Corrado; Bryant, Richard; Panter-Brick, Catherine; Hall, Brian J; Lam, Agnes Iok Fok; Huizink, Anja C; Fuhr, Daniela; Purba, Fredrick Dermawan; Mittendorfer-Rutz, Ellenor; Andriani, Dhini; van der Waerden, Judith; Acartürk, Ceren; Kurt, Gülşah; Burchert, Sebastian; Knaevelsrud, Christine; Witteveen, Anke B; Patane, Martina; Quero, Soledad; Díaz-García, Amanda; Morina, Naser; Pinucci, Irene; Sijbrandij, Marit; Seedat, Soraya. - In: ARCHIVES OF WOMENS MENTAL HEALTH. - ISSN 1435-1102. - (2024). [10.1007/s00737-024-01497-3]

Mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic: An international comparison of gender-related home and work-related responsibilities, and social support

Tarsitani, Lorenzo;Patane, Martina;Pinucci, Irene;
2024

Abstract

Unlabelled: PURPOSE  : To assess gender differences in COVID-19 related changes in home and work responsibilities longitudinally, and determine whether these differences, together with other potential risk and protective factors, are associated with depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology. Method: Symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD were measured using an online survey instrument, between May 2020 and April 2021, in four waves completed at 3-monthly intervals. Analyses were based on data from the COvid MEntal healTh (COMET) survey which investigated the mental health effects of the COVID-19 outbreak spanning 13 countries on five continents in N = 7,909 participants. Results: From the first to the last wave, women reported a greater increase in home and work responsibilities, and had higher depression, anxiety and PTSD scores compared to men. Women who reported a reduction in income due to the pandemic had higher depression scores. Working harder and experiencing a reduction in income were also associated with higher anxiety scores in women but not in men. Women were more likely to score above the cut-off for depression (32.5% vs 23.6%, p < .001), anxiety (21.2% vs 14.4%, p < .001) and PTSD (21.2% vs 14.4%, p < .001) than men during the first wave. Stronger reliance on socially supported coping mechanisms was a risk factor for depression, anxiety and PTSD in men and women. Conclusion: Women were more likely to report mental health problems which may be related to the gender disproportionate increase in home and work responsibilities but not necessarily due to COVID-19 stressors.
2024
Anxiety; COVID-19; Depression; Mental health; PTSD, home and work-related responsibilities
01 Pubblicazione su rivista::01a Articolo in rivista
Mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic: An international comparison of gender-related home and work-related responsibilities, and social support / Eugene, Dominique; Nöthling, Jani; Tarsitani, Lorenzo; Palantza, Christina; Papola, Davide; Barbui, Corrado; Bryant, Richard; Panter-Brick, Catherine; Hall, Brian J; Lam, Agnes Iok Fok; Huizink, Anja C; Fuhr, Daniela; Purba, Fredrick Dermawan; Mittendorfer-Rutz, Ellenor; Andriani, Dhini; van der Waerden, Judith; Acartürk, Ceren; Kurt, Gülşah; Burchert, Sebastian; Knaevelsrud, Christine; Witteveen, Anke B; Patane, Martina; Quero, Soledad; Díaz-García, Amanda; Morina, Naser; Pinucci, Irene; Sijbrandij, Marit; Seedat, Soraya. - In: ARCHIVES OF WOMENS MENTAL HEALTH. - ISSN 1435-1102. - (2024). [10.1007/s00737-024-01497-3]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11573/1718190
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