STRING-COVID: Mental Health Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Migrants in Chile
Study Details
Study Description
Brief Summary
The mental health of a representative sample of immigrants residing in Santiago, Chile (STRING cohort) was assessed nine months prior to the COVID-19 pandemic (T0). Evidence suggests that social isolation affects mental health by increasing symptoms of anxiety and depression. One of the main components of the current COVID-19 pandemic is the social isolation imposed on the population. This study seeks to explore the short (T1) and long-term (T2) effects of the pandemic on the psychological wellbeing of the cohort.
Specific aims are to
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Describe the variations in the levels of mental health problems (i.e. symptoms of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, sleep difficulties) and wellbeing of immigrants during the first (T1) and second follow-up (T2)
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Calculate the short (T1) and long-term (T2) effects of social isolation on the levels of mental health problems of the immigrant population, and
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Identify risk / protective factors associated with a short (T1) and long-term (T2) increase in mental health problems
Condition or Disease | Intervention/Treatment | Phase |
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Detailed Description
Participants were interviewed at baseline (T0) 8 months before the COVID-19 pandemic. An online survey will be applied in two follow-up moments during the pandemic:
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At 9 months (also 1 month after lockdown measures imposed) (T1)
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At 18 months (also 10 months after lockdown measures imposed) (T2)
Study Design
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcome Measures
- Depressive symptoms [Month 1 (T1) and month 10 (T2)]
The Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9; Kroenke, Spitzer & Williams, 2001) is used to measure symptoms of depression in accordance with the diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder. The questionnaire consists of nine items scored on a four-point Likert scale (0-3), with the range of scores from 0 to 27. Higher scores indicate greater depression severity, and scores above 10 are considered as the cut-off that indicate that the patient is within the depressive area. Specific cut-off for primary care samples in Chile have been found yielding a cut-off of 7 and above for high sensitivity and specificity (Saldivia, Aslan, Cova, Vicente, Inostroza & Rincón, 2019). Changes in depressive symptoms between baseline (T0) and two follow-up points (T1 and T2) will be assessed.
- Symptoms of anxiety [Month 1 (T1) and month 10 (T2)]
The Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7; Spitzer, Kroenke, Williams & Löwe, 2006) is used to measure symptoms of anxiety and worry. The questionnaire consists of seven items scored on a four-point Likert scale (0-3), with the scores ranging from 0 to 21. Specific cut-off for primary care samples in Spain have been found yielding a cut-off of 10 and above for high sensitivity and specificity (García-Campayo et al, 2010). Changes in symptoms of anxiety between baseline (T0) and two follow-up points (T1 and T2) will be assessed.
Secondary Outcome Measures
- Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder [Month 1 (T1) and month 10 (T2)]
The Impact of Events Scale (IES-R; Weiss & Marmar, 1997) is used to measure symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). There scale consists of 22 questions which are scored on a five-point Likert scale (0=not at all, 1=a little bit, 2=moderately, 3=quite a bit, 4=extremely). There are three subscales (i.e., avoidance, intrusion, hyperarousal) and the sum of the three subscales scores comprise the total score. A total score ≥33 indicates the likely presence of PTSD using criteria from the Diagnostic Symptom Manual (DSM-IV). Changes in symptoms of post-traumatic stress between the two follow-up points (T1 and T2) will be assessed.
- Changes in sleep difficulties [Month 1 (T1) and month 10 (T2)]
The Insomnia Severity Index (ISI; Bastein CH, et al. 2001) is used to assess the nature, severity, and impact of sleep difficulties. The questionnaire consists of 7 items scored on a five-point Likert scale (0=no problem, 4=very severe problem) with scores ranging from 0 to 28. Changes in symptoms sleep difficulties between the two follow-up points (T1 and T2) will be assessed.
- Changes in hazardous and harmful alcohol drinking [Month 1 (T1) and month 10 (T2)]
Using the three-item Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C). Changes in hazardous and harmful alcohol drinking between baseline (T0) and two follow-up points (T1 and T2) will be assessed.
- Changes in loneliness [Month 1 (T1) and month 10 (T2)]
Using the three-item Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale. Scores range from 3 to 9 with higher scores indicating higher perceived loneliness. Changes in perceived loneliness between the two follow-up points (T1 and T2) will be assessed.
- Change in general physical and mental health [Change from last 2 weeks before pandemic to month 1 (T1) and month 10 (T2)]
Change in general physical and mental health, self-rated, on a VAS scale from 0 to 100. Higher scores indicate worse self-reported health. Changes in perceived general physical and mental health between the two follow-up points (T1 and T2) will be assessed.
- Change in mental health symptoms from last 2 weeks before the pandemic to the last 2 weeks during the COVID-19 pandemic at T1 and T2. [Change from last 2 weeks before pandemic to month 1 (T1) and to month 10 (T2).]
Change in visual analogue scale-assessed transdiagnostic measures across all psychiatric symptoms in the last 2 weeks compared to the last 2 weeks of "regular life" before the COVID-19 outbreak.
- Change in mental health well-being from last 2 weeks before the pandemic to the last 2 weeks during the COVID-19 pandemic at T1 and T2. [Change from last 2 weeks before pandemic to month 1 (T1) and to month 10 (T2).]
Change in World Health Organization (WHO)-5 well-being in the last 2 weeks compared to the last 2 weeks of "regular life" before the COVID-19 outbreak.
Eligibility Criteria
Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
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Country of birth other than Chile
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Time since arrival to Chile: 3 months (at baseline)
Exclusion Criteria:
- Unable to understand Spanish
Contacts and Locations
Locations
Site | City | State | Country | Postal Code | |
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1 | Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile | Santiago | RM | Chile | 7550139 |
Sponsors and Collaborators
- Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile
- Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico, Chile
Investigators
- Principal Investigator: Antonia Errazuriz, PhD, Universidad Catolica de Chile
Study Documents (Full-Text)
None provided.More Information
Publications
None provided.- 170519004