Abstract
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected many aspects of global society, seriously impacting physical health, mental health, and wellbeing, and contributing to anxiety. The prevalence of anxiety disorders reported across various studies varies by region, reaching up to 47%. The GAD-7 is a widely used tool worldwide for assessing the characteristics of generalized anxiety disorder. Objectives: To investigate the prevalence and characteristics of generalized anxiety disorder using the GAD-7 scale among individuals with a history of COVID-19 infection. Subjects and methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted using an online survey questionnaire among adults who had previously contracted COVID-19 at least 2 weeks before the time of the survey and were residing in Districts 8, 10, and Binh Tan, Ho Chi Minh City. The diagnostic threshold for anxiety disorder was defined as a GAD-7 score of ≥5. Results: A total of 429 participants took part in the survey, 48.7% of whom were male, with a mean age of 40.8 years. The proportions of participants from District 8, District 10, and Binh Tan District were 33.1%, 31.9%, and 35%, respectively. A total of 34.3% had underlying medical conditions. The average number of household members who had contracted COVID-19 was 3.4. A total of 8.9% had a family member who died from COVID-19. The prevalence of anxiety disorder was 22.8%, comprising 14.9% mild, 4.9% moderate, and 2.6% severe. Among the 7 items of the GAD-7 scale, "feeling nervous, anxious, or on edge," "worrying too much about different things," and "trouble relaxing" were the items with the highest frequency, ranging from 30–50%. Statistically significant differences were observed in sex, BMI, marital status, and substance use between the groups with and without generalized anxiety disorder. Factors associated with an increased risk of generalized anxiety disorder included female sex (p < 0.001, OR = 2.27, 95% CI: [1.41–3.65]) and being single (p = 0.007, OR = 1.87, 95% CI: [1.18–2.96]). Educational level, underlying medical conditions, and having a family member who died during COVID-19 illness were not identified as risk factors for generalized anxiety disorder. Conclusion: The prevalence of anxiety disorder among individuals with a history of COVID-19 infection is higher than in the general population, with the majority of cases being mild in severity. Female sex and single marital status were associated with an increased risk of generalized anxiety disorder.
