AUTHOR=Lu Li , Hannigan Laurie J. , Brandlistuen Ragnhild E. , Nesvåg Ragnar , Trogstad Lill , Magnus Per , Unnarsdóttir Anna Bára , Valdimarsdóttir Unnur A. , Andreassen Ole A. , Ask Helga 

TITLE=Mental Distress Among Norwegian Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Predictors in Initial Response and Subsequent Trajectories

JOURNAL=International Journal of Public Health

VOLUME=68

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.ssph-journal.org/journals/international-journal-of-public-health/articles/10.3389/ijph.2023.1606164

DOI=10.3389/ijph.2023.1606164

ISSN=1661-8564

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Objectives:</bold> To identify factors associated with change in mental distress at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, relative to pre-pandemic levels, and with changes during the following 1.5 years.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> The prospective Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study collected eight waves of data during the pandemic (March 2020–September 2021) in 105,972 adult participants used for this analyses. A piecewise latent growth model was fitted to identify initial level and longitudinal changes in mental distress.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> Mental distress peaked at the beginning of the pandemic. Factors associated with initial increases were: medical conditions, living alone, history of psychiatric disorders, lower education, female sex, younger age, and obesity. Being quarantined or infected with SARS-CoV-2 were associated with increasing distress while being vaccinated was associated with reduced mental distress.</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> Having a chronic disease and being quarantined or infected by the SARS-CoV-2 virus were associated with more mental distress during the pandemic. This knowledge is important for planning interventions to support individuals during future pandemics and other societal crises.</p>