Journal
GENERAL HOSPITAL PSYCHIATRY
Volume 83, Issue -, Pages 93-100Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC
DOI: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2023.04.016
Keywords
Objective hardship; Anxiety; Depression; Stress; Vulnerability; COVID-19; Pregnancy during the pandemic
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Our study aimed to examine the combined effects of pre-existing vulnerabilities and resilience factors with objective hardship on psychological distress in pregnant individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. We found that pandemic-related hardship significantly increased the likelihood of experiencing anxiety and depression symptoms. Pre-existing vulnerabilities also had a cumulative effect on the likelihood of experiencing anxiety and depression symptoms, but there was no evidence of compounding effects. Social support had a protective effect, while government financial aid did not.
Objective: Our primary objective was to determine whether pre-existing vulnerabilities and resilience factors combined with objective hardship resulted in cumulative (i.e., additive) effects on psychological distress in pregnant individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. A secondary objective was to determine whether any of the effects of pandemic-related hardship were compounded (i.e., multiplicative) by pre-existing vulnerabilities.Method: Data are from a prospective pregnancy cohort study, the Pregnancy During the COVID-19 Pandemic study (PdP). This cross-sectional report is based upon the initial survey collected at recruitment between April 5, 2020 and April 30, 2021. Logistic regressions were used to evaluate our objectives.Results: Pandemic-related hardship substantially increased the odds of scoring above the clinical cut-off on measures of anxiety and depression symptoms. Pre-existing vulnerabilities had cumulative (i.e., additive) effects on the odds of scoring above the clinical cut-off on measures of anxiety and depression symptoms. There was no evidence of compounding (i.e., multiplicative) effects. Social support had a protective effect on anxiety and depression symptoms, but government financial aid did not.Conclusion: Pre-pandemic vulnerability and pandemic-related hardship had cumulative effects on psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Adequate and equitable responses to pandemics and disasters may require more intensive supports for those with multiple vulnerabilities.
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