Han Kyu-Man, Lee Sang Min, Hong Minha, Kim Seok-Joo, Sohn Sunju, Choi Yun-Kyeung, Hyun Jinhee, Kim Heeguk, Lee Jong-Sun, Lee So Hee, Lee Yu-Ri, Paik Jong-Woo
Department of Psychiatry, Korea University Anam Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Department of Psychiatry, Kyung Hee University Hospital, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Psychiatry Investig. 2023 Aug;20(8):730-739. doi: 10.30773/pi.2022.0361. Epub 2023 Aug 11.
The economic hardship brought by the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-2019) pandemic has caused mental health problems among people of different socioeconomic status (SES). As social support helps to buffer these problems, we investigated the association between job loss related to COVID-19 and depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts; the differences in the effects according to SES; and the mediating effects of social support.
The effects of COVID-19-related job loss on depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts among 1,364 people were investigated through semi-structured and self-administered questionnaires: Patient Health Questionnaire-9, General Anxiety Disorder-7, and the Functional Social Support Questionnaire. Logistic regression and subgroup analyses were performed to assess the association between job loss and mental health status, and the moderating effects of income and educational levels. Moreover, the mediating effects of perceived social support on the association between job loss and depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts were analyzed.
COVID-19-related job loss increased the risk of depression and suicidal thoughts. Adults with lower income and education level were at higher risk of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts; perceived social support level had significant mediating effects on the association between job loss and depression/anxiety; and income level had significant moderating effects on this mediating pathway.
COVID-19-related job loss were likely to be significantly associated with negative mental health outcomes, especially among individuals with low income and education levels. As social support had buffering effects on such outcomes, related government policies in cooperation with the governance of communities and stakeholders must be prepared.
2019年冠状病毒病（COVID - 19）大流行带来的经济困难已在不同社会经济地位（SES）的人群中引发心理健康问题。由于社会支持有助于缓解这些问题，我们调查了与COVID - 19相关的失业与抑郁、焦虑和自杀念头之间的关联；根据社会经济地位的影响差异；以及社会支持的中介作用。
通过半结构化和自填式问卷对1364人进行调查，以研究与COVID - 19相关的失业对抑郁、焦虑和自杀念头的影响：患者健康问卷 - 9、广泛性焦虑障碍量表 - 7和功能性社会支持问卷。进行逻辑回归和亚组分析，以评估失业与心理健康状况之间的关联，以及收入和教育水平的调节作用。此外，分析了感知到的社会支持在失业与抑郁、焦虑和自杀念头之间关联的中介作用。
与COVID - 19相关的失业增加了抑郁和自杀念头的风险。收入和教育水平较低的成年人患抑郁、焦虑和自杀念头的风险更高；感知到的社会支持水平对失业与抑郁/焦虑之间的关联有显著中介作用；收入水平对这一中介途径有显著调节作用。
与COVID - 19相关的失业可能与负面心理健康结果显著相关，尤其是在低收入和低教育水平的个体中。由于社会支持对这些结果有缓冲作用，必须制定与社区和利益相关者治理合作的相关政府政策。
