Objectives This study aims to estimate the associations between social contact pattern as well as its changes and mental health status, including depression, anxiety, and loneliness of the Chinese adult.
Methods Data of 3511 participants was obtain by an online questionnaire, which was designed to assess the social contact pattern pre- and after the outbreak of COVID-19 and mental health status (i.e. depression, dark future anxiety and loneliness). The associations between social contact patterns and their changes and mental status were analyzed.
Results Comparing to the participants who had not changed their social contact pattern, those who had in-person communication increased had higher scores of PHQ-9, DFA, and TILS (PHQ-9: β=0.491, 95% CI: 0.332, 0.651; DFA: β=0.400, 95% CI: 0.242, 0.558; TILS: β=0.260, 95% CI: 0.094, 0.425). Those who had increased their online communication had lower score of PHQ-9, DFA, but not TILS (PHQ-9: β= -0.161, 95% CI: -0.313, -0.008; DFA: β= -0.155, 95% CI: -0.307, -0.004; TILS: β= -0.056, 95% CI: -0.214, 0.101). The participants who had in-person communication increased were more likely to be depressed (OR=2.05, 95% CI=1.56, 2.70) and had more severe symptoms of depression (OR=1.60, 95% CI=1.34, 1.91), comparing to those who did not change social contact pattern.
Conclusion The social contact pattern and its changes pre- and after COVID-19 pandemic were associated with mental disorders among Chinese adults.