Anxiety, insomnia, depression and conflicts within families: since the coronavirus pandemic emerged in China, there have already been initial indications of the psychosocial effects of the pandemic.

Scientists at the Center for Mental Health at Hannover Medical School (MHH) have now been able to confirm this with an initial evaluation of a survey launched on April 1.

The scientists see evidence of a significant mental strain with an increase in stress, anxiety, depressive symptoms, sleep problems, irritability and aggression.

Of particular concern is the fact that 5 percent of participants stated that they had experienced domestic violence in the past four weeks. This can be of a verbal, physical or sexual nature. In addition, the majority of participants stated that violence had recently increased.

The initial evaluation relates to the period from April 1 to 15, 2020 and thus covers the period of the strictest lockdown measures in Germany.

3,545 volunteers took part in the study; the average age was 40. Of those surveyed, 83 percent were women and 15.2 percent were men.

This survey is one of the first and largest surveys on mental health in Germany. The current survey includes a web-based systematic assessment of mental health, stress levels, coping mechanisms and the experience of different forms of violence using self-assessment scales.

The authors of the study call for the mental health of the population to be kept under constant review during the acute pandemic and in the aftermath, and for support services to be continuously available or expanded. The experience of domestic violence and its risk factors, such as stress, sleep problems and irritability, should be assessed particularly carefully. "All of these issues are not unknown to us. But the restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic and the associated physical confinement in families can lead to a significant flare-up of these problems," explains Prof. Dr. Tillmann Krüger, head of the study.

The coronavirus pandemic is also expected to have long-term effects on mental health. This is why the second wave of the survey is now taking place, to which all interested parties are invited via the following link:

https://ww2.unipark.de/uc/MHH_Umfrage_COVID-19/

Background information

Mental stress, anxiety and depression

The majority of participants - 60 percent - stated that they were coping very well or well with the changed situation and the corresponding measures. In contrast, 26.9 percent of respondents stated that they were coping badly or very badly with the situation. The women surveyed had significantly higher levels of depression and anxiety.

Quality of sleep, irritability and domestic violence

45.3% of respondents stated that they were sleeping less well compared to before the pandemic. Remarkably, 50.9 percent of all participants reported being more irritable and 29 percent reported feeling angrier and more aggressive. Of those who perceived themselves as angrier and more aggressive, 65.5 percent directed their anger and aggression towards others, while 32.6 percent directed it towards themselves.

Of particular note is the finding that 5 percent of all participants reported experiencing domestic violence on a verbal (98.4 percent), physical (41.9 percent) or sexual (30.2 percent) level.

For further inquiries, please contact Prof. Dr. Tillmann Krüger, MHH Center for Mental Health, at

☎ (0511) 532-3171 or krueger.tillmann@mh-hannover.de