MSMR. 2022 Jan 1;29(1):7-13.
This study examined the rates of depressive symptoms in active component U.S. service members prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic and evaluated whether SARS-CoV-2 test results (positive or negative) were associated with self-reported depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms were measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2) screening instrument and were defined as positive if the total score was 3 or greater. From 1 January 2019 through 31 July 2021, 2,313,825 PHQ-2s were completed with an increase in the positive rate from 4.0% to 6.5% (absolute % difference, +2.5%; relative % change, +67.1%) from the beginning to the end of the period. While there was a gradual increase of 19.8% in the months prior to the pandemic (1.4%/month average), this increase grew to 40.4% during the pandemic (2.5%/month average). However, no association was found between a positive or negative SARS-CoV-2 test result and the PHQ-2 screening instrument result. These findings suggest that the accelerated increase in depressive symptoms is likely a function of the environment of the COVID-19 pandemic instead of the SARS-CoV-2 infection itself. Further research to better understand specific factors of the pandemic leading to depressive symptoms will improve efficient allocation of military medical resources and safeguard military medical readiness.
这项研究调查了在 COVID-19 大流行之前和期间现役美国军人的抑郁症状发生率，并评估了 SARS-CoV-2 检测结果（阳性或阴性）是否与自我报告的抑郁症状相关。抑郁症状采用患者健康问卷-2（PHQ-2）筛查工具进行测量，如果总分达到 3 或更高，则定义为阳性。从 2019 年 1 月 1 日至 2021 年 7 月 31 日，共完成了 2,313,825 份 PHQ-2，阳性率从开始到结束从 4.0%增加到 6.5%（绝对%差异，+2.5%；相对%变化，+67.1%）。虽然在大流行前的几个月中，阳性率逐渐增加了 19.8%（平均每月 1.4%），但在大流行期间，这一增长率增长到了 40.4%（平均每月 2.5%）。然而，SARS-CoV-2 检测结果阳性或阴性与 PHQ-2 筛查工具结果之间没有关联。这些发现表明，抑郁症状的加速增加可能是 COVID-19 大流行环境的作用，而不是 SARS-CoV-2 感染本身。进一步研究更好地了解大流行导致抑郁症状的具体因素将有助于提高军事医疗资源的有效分配，并保障军事医疗准备。
