Study reveals mental health impact of Shanghai’s harsh Covid lockdown
- Researchers find prevalence of depression at 26 per cent and anxiety at 20 per cent – ‘substantially higher than previously observed estimates’
- They say mental health problems more commonly seen among vulnerable groups such as migrant workers and young adults
.JPG?itok=zUDwoZRB&v=1701240446)
They found the prevalence of depression was at 26.1 per cent, anxiety was at 20.1 per cent and suicidal ideation 3.8 per cent while the city was shut down, according to the peer-reviewed paper published in the Journal of Affective Disorders last week.
03:46
Shanghai reopens after two-month Covid lockdown, but how fast can life return to normal?
The team – from New York University Shanghai, NYU New York, Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou and the University of North Carolina – said these were “substantially higher than previously observed prevalence estimates in Shanghai”.
They said mental health problems were more commonly observed among vulnerable groups such as migrants and young adults, and those with unstable employment.
The study also suggested that food insecurity was linked to an increased risk of mental health conditions. During the lockdown, 66.4 per cent of households surveyed reported moderate or severe food insecurity, as the harsh restrictions disrupted logistics and supply chains.
Mental health crisis looms for young Chinese after 3 years of pandemic
Lead author Brian Hall, a professor of global public health at NYU Shanghai, said that while the pandemic reflected inequalities in health globally, the research team also wanted to understand the pattern of mental disorders in the population, so as to strengthen mental health services for the most vulnerable.
The researchers said theirs was the first and only known study documenting the mental health burden associated with Shanghai’s lockdown – the largest known citywide lockdown in the world. China scrapped its tough zero-Covid policy in December after nearly three years.
Hall said the team had also conducted additional studies using the data to explore the geospatial distribution of mental disorders, to identify who was most affected by food insecurity, and who tried to seek mental health support and from whom.
“Taken together, these studies will provide key policy-relevant data that can strengthen public mental health responses to public health emergencies in the future,” he said.
Nearly a year after Shanghai entered the lockdown, many who experienced it have said on social media that they are still suffering from its effects.
Hall said other studies of potentially traumatic events and emergencies had found that a smaller yet substantial group of 25 to 35 per cent of people had longer term mental health consequences or developed disorders in the months following such an event.
05:59
How Covid shut down Shanghai
As the anniversary of the lockdown approaches, people could be reminded of events that took place last year – for example through media coverage or the sights and smells associated with the changing seasons – and this might worsen their mental health, he said.
“Many people have actively tried to suppress their thoughts and feelings associated with the lockdown and this form of avoidance may be a helping coping process in the short term,” Hall said.
“But we know from research that it may lead to longer term consequences if these emotions are not addressed.”
