TY  - JOUR
AU  - Lohse, Barbara
AU  - Ramirez, Anahi
AU  - Hickey, Jenna
AU  - Bailey-Davis, Lisa
AU  - Drees, Betty
AU  - Masters, Kevin S.
AU  - Ruder, Elizabeth H.
AU  - Trabold, Nicole
PY  - 2022
TI  - Changes in Depressive Symptoms, Perceived Stress, and Food Security Among Study Participants With Metabolic Syndrome During a COVID-19-Mandated Research Pause
T2  - Preventing Chronic Disease
JO  - Prev Chronic Dis
SP  - E88
VL  - 19
CY  - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA.
N2  - INTRODUCTION  We explored how depressive symptoms, perceived stress, and food security of people with metabolic syndrome (MetS) changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS  An online survey was administered from October 2019 through March 2020, to participants in a 2-year lifestyle intervention trial to reverse MetS; the survey was repeated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Outcomes were a change in depressive symptoms, perceived stress, and food security as measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-8 (PHQ-8), Perceived Stress Scale, and US Department of Agriculture's 10-item Adult Food Security Module. We analyzed changes in outcomes with measures of association, paired t tests, repeated measures, and independent t tests. RESULTS  Survey respondents (N = 132) were mostly female (67%), White (70%), and middle-aged, with a median income of $86,000. Frequency of depressive symptoms increased from baseline to follow-up and the increase was related to lower mean (SD) baseline vitality (44.4 [20.7] vs 60.3 [18.9]; P = .01) and mental health decline (71.0 [14.3] vs 82.0 [10.4]; P = .002). Mean (SD) perceived stress was significantly higher at baseline than follow-up (18.5 [6.4] vs 14.9 [7.2]; P < .001). Food security increased from 83% at baseline to 90% at follow-up (P < .001). Movement to or continued food insecurity (n = 13) tended to be associated with a racial or ethnic minority group (P = .05). CONCLUSION  A sample at high risk for COVID-19 did not experience increased stress or food insecurity, but demonstrated increased depressive symptoms after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, with some baseline susceptibility.
SN  - 1545-1151
UR  - https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd19.220206
DO  - 10.5888/pcd19.220206
ER  -