DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, PERCEIVED AND POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS, AND THE USE OF ALCOHOL DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN ESTONIA FROM SPRING TO AUTUMN IN 2020: A LONGITUDINAL STUDY

Abstract

The situation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic has changed quickly due to changing case numbers and changing governmental restrictions indicating that mental health consequences may also have changed rapidly and differed by countries. The aim of our study was to describe and map changes in the scores of depression, anxiety, perceived and post-traumatic stress, and the use of alcohol in Estonia during the COVID-19 pandemic. The three waves of data collection were conducted (N = 202) in spring (T1), summer (T2) and fall (T3) in 2020. The survey included information about the study, a set of demographic, health and wellness questions, and a set of self-reported scales about mental health and wellbeing. At T3 there were a larger proportion of respondents whose Anxiety and Fatigue scores were above the cut-off point compared to T2. At T2 there were a larger proportion of respondents whose AUDIT-C score was above the cut-off point compared to T3. At T1 there was a larger proportion of respondents whose Agoraphobia and panic score was above the cut-off point compared to T3. This is the first Estonian longitudinal study mapping changes in mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.