Prevalence and severity of anxiety, stress, and depression in long COVID among adults in Barcelona, 2025, León-Gómez et al

Prevalence and severity of anxiety, stress, and depression in long COVID among adults in Barcelona

Brenda Biaani León-Gómez, Meritxell Carmona-Cervelló, Rosalia Dacosta-Aguayo, Noemí Lamonja-Vicente, Jofre Bielsa-Pascual, Victor M López-Lifante, Valeria Zamora-Putin, Gemma Molist, Pilar Montero-Alia, Alba Pachón-Camacho, Eduard Moreno-Gabriel, Rosa García-Sierra, Adrià Bermudo-Gallaguet, Carla Chacón, Anna Costa-Garrido, Jose A Muñoz-Moreno, Lourdes Mateu, Maria Mataró, Julia G Prado, Eva Martínez-Cáceres, Marta Massanella, Concepción Violán and Pere Torán-Monserrat

Background
The COVID-19 pandemic’s long-term mental health implications are increasingly concerning, especially among patients suffering post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection: Long COVID (LC) patients.

Aim
This study explores the presence and distribution of anxiety, depression, and stress in LC individuals with cognitive complaints in northern Barcelona (Spain).

Design & settings
This cross-sectional study involved 155 diagnosed LC individuals from the “Aliança ProHEpiC-19 Cognitiu (APC)” project.

Method
Demographic data and health behavior variables were collected, and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) was self-administered to assess mental health. Descriptive statistics, chi-squared tests, and Poisson regression models were used for data analysis.

Results
'Severe' stress and 'Extremely Severe' anxiety were prevalent in the sample. There were significant differences in anxiety and depression based on age and job role, with older individuals and non-healthcare workers showing higher relative risks.

Conclusions
Our study highlights the significant mental health burden in LC patients, underscoring the need for targeted interventions, especially among adults over 45 years old and non-healthcare workers. Further research is needed to better understand LC’s complex mental health impacts and develop effective clinical management strategies.

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