Anxiety and depression levels and their influencing factors in community-dwelling patients with schizophrenia in China during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract Purpose To (1) assess the prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms in community-dwelling patients with schizophrenia in China during the epidemic; (2) explore possible influencing factors. Methods Using a cross-sectional survey, we collected 15165 questionnaires. Assessments included demographic information, concern about COVID-19-related information, sleep status, anxiety and depressive symptoms, and accompanying illnesses. The 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) and the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) were used to evaluate depression and anxiety levels. Group comparison was conducted by t-test, ANOVA, or chi-square test wherever suitable with Bonferroni pairwise correction. Multivariate logistic regression were performed to identify predictors for anxiety and depression. Results 16.9% patients had at least moderate anxiety, and 34.9% had at least moderate depression. T-test showed that females scored higher on GAD-7 and PHQ-9 than males, and patients without accompanying long-standing diseases, who were not concerned about the COVID-19 had lower GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores. ANOVA showed that participants aged from 30 to 39, with higher education scored higher on GAD-7, and patients with better sleep, having less concern about the COVID-19 had lower GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores. Regression analysis indicated that participants aged 30–39 and 40–49 positively predicted anxiety, whereas patients aged 30–39 years positively predicted depression. Poor sleep, accompanying diseases, and concerning the COVID-19 pandemic were more likely to experience anxiety and depression. Conclusion Chinese community-dwelling schizophrenia patients had high anxiety and depression rates during the pandemic. These patients warrant clinical attention and psychological intervention, especially those with risk factors.