Of 3,904 who reported a prior COVID-19 infection in a research survey, 52.4 percent met the criteria for symptoms of major depressive disorder, according to findings published March 12 in JAMA Network Open.
Researchers evaluated responses from monthly surveys distributed between June 2020 and January 2021. Of 82,319 respondents, 3,904 reported a prior COVID-19 infection. Findings showed more than half of COVID-19 survivors met the criteria for moderate or severe depression.
Those who reported having a headache while they had COVID-19 had an increased risk of depression symptoms, the analysis found. However, the study authors wrote they could not "exclude the possibility that individuals with current depression are more likely to recall or report headache."
Overall, depression symptoms were more common among younger respondents compared to older respondents and men compared to women, according to the findings. The risk also increased with the level of self-reported COVID-19 illness severity.
"Our results add to a growing body of evidence suggesting the importance of considering potential neuropsychiatric sequelae of COVID-19 infection," the study said. "Our results also suggest the importance of considering strategies that might mitigate the elevated risk of depressive symptoms following acute infection."
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