A study published in The Lancet on Friday concluded that the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly increased cases of anxiety, disorder, and depression worldwide, especially among women and young people. Researchers stated that young people have suffered due to their separation from friends as educational institutions closed, and many women found themselves bearing the brunt of household responsibilities while facing increased risks of domestic violence.
The study, led by academics from the University of Queensland in Australia, recorded an additional 76 million cases of anxiety-related disorders and 53 million cases of major depression as the coronavirus spread in 2020. Elise Ferrari, a co-author of the study, said, "Unfortunately, for several reasons, women have always been more susceptible to the social and economic consequences of the pandemic."
She added, "The additional caregiving responsibilities and household roles tend to fall on women, and since women are more likely to be victims of domestic violence, which increased at various stages of the pandemic." Ferrari also noted that school closures and other restrictions limited "young people's ability to learn and interact with their peers."
The research included 48 previously conducted studies from various parts of the world and worked on compiling their results into a statistical analysis to determine the prevalence of mental health disorders in 204 countries and regions in 2020.
