RESUMEN
Background: We sought to understand the trends in media use, and how consumption and source affected mental health of persons with inflammatory bowel disease during the early parts of the pandemic. Dissemination of news during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was integral to educating the public but also could be harmful if constantly consumed, leading to worsening anxiety. Methods: We performed a survey study in autumn 2020 during the second wave of COVID-19 in Manitoba. The survey included questions on consumption of COVID-19 news, along with validated measures of perceived stress, generalized anxiety, health anxiety, and depression. We used multivariable logistic regression analysis to assess trusted sources of news as a predictor of clinically significant mental health symptoms. Results: Of the 2940 participants in the registry, 1384 (47.1%) persons responded. The most trusted sources of news were television (64.2%), internet (46.1%), newspaper (27.6%), friends/family (21.7%), social media (16.9%), and radio (16.6%). Those who trusted social media had higher odds of depression (aOR 1.52, 95%CI 1.04-2.22), and perceived stress (aOR 2.56, 95%CI 1.09-2.21). Persons who reported extreme difficulty limiting their time-consuming news about COVID-19 and who spent more than 1 h daily consuming information on COVID-19 both had increased odds of any clinically significant mental health symptoms. Conclusions: It is unknown if consumption of COVID-19 news led to heightened mental health symptoms or if increasing anxieties and concerns led to consuming more news. Further research is needed to assess whether these elevated mental health symptoms led to worse disease outcomes.
RESUMEN
Background: The Corona Virus Immune Disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has broadly impacted the mental health of individuals worldwide, especially with restrictions including social distancing and quarantining. Persons with IBD are at increased risk of mental health disorders. The aim was to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic affected adults with a chronic health issue, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), using a population-based sample. Methods: A survey study in Manitoba was conducted during the second COVID-19 wave in autumn 2020. We assessed proportions of health anxiety and perceived stress using validated measures, as well as stressors during the COVID-19 pandemic. We used univariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis to assess predictors of perceived stress and health anxiety. Results: A total of 1,384 (47.1%) persons responded, with a mean age of 58.0, and 46.9% had Crohn's disease. Almost three quarters (73.7%) had increased stress, with 37.7% having increased stress about their IBD, and 33.6% worried about their IBD worsening. 46.0% felt increased stress about accessing their doctor or nurse, and 56.5% felt they had good access to their gastroenterologist. Elevated stress and health anxiety were seen in 63.5% and 17.2% of respondents, respectively. Younger age and being on immune-modifying therapy (IMT) was predictive of increased health anxiety and stress. Longer IBD duration was associated with decreased stress, including those on IMT. Conclusion: Persons with IBD reported high rates of stress and health anxiety early in the COVID-19 pandemic, especially among those on IMT. It will be important to determine how this evolved over time and to what extent this impacted on disease course.
