J Korean Med Sci.  2023 Feb;38(6):e36. 10.3346/jkms.2023.38.e36.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Gender Differences in Depression Based on National Representative Data

• Jeong H
• Yim HW
• Lee SY
• Jung DY

• KMID: 2539488
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2023.38.e36

Abstract

Background
Restrictions on daily life and changes in economic structure due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) likely would have affected men and women differently. However, there is still a lack of research on the difference between men and women in the amount of change in depression during COVID-19 compared to before COVID-19. Therefore, the researchers investigated gender differences in the magnitude of increase in the prevalence of depression with its severity and individual symptoms during COVID-19 compared with prepandemic levels.
Methods
The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2016 and 2018 were used to assess depression levels pre-pandemic and the KNHANES 2020 for pandemic depression levels. Depression was evaluated using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). To analyze the differences between men and women in the magnitude of the mental health impact of COVID-19, the researchers analyzed the weighted differences in depression prevalence, severity, and individual symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to before COVID-19 stratified by gender.
Results
In men, there were significant increases in weighted prevalence for depression (1.2% percentage point; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.0–2.3) and severe symptoms of depression (2.6-fold; 95% CI, 1.2–5.7). Among the individual symptoms of depression, significant increases during the pandemic compared to before were: little interest or pleasure in doing things, 1.26-fold; feeling tired or having little energy, 2.2-fold; and suicidal thoughts, 1.7-fold. However, there was no significant difference in prevalence, symptoms severity, and any symptom before and during COVID-19 in women.
Conclusions
Because the pandemic is likely to increase mental problems of the affected over time due to such problems as financial stress and joblessness or post-infection health issues, the researchers anticipate an increase in the prevalence of some mental illnesses. In particular, since the suicide rate of men is higher than that of women, from a public health perspective, active interventions are needed to prevent an increase in the suicide rate due to COVID-19. It is also necessary to establish national policies to overcome the psychological, social, and economic losses resulting from COVID-19.

Keyword

COVID-19; Gender Differences; Depression; KNHANES

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Flowchart of 19 years and old samples included in analysis of each outcome.PHQ-9 = Patient Health Questionnaire-9.

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  Fig. 2 Prevalence of depression before and during the COVID-19 pandemic by gender.COVID-19 = coronavirus disease 2019.

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