Depression and anxiety linked to higher risk of Covid job loss
People with mental health difficulties are also more likely to have suffered delays in health appointments
People who experienced depression or anxiety pre-pandemic were more likely to lose their jobs and suffer delays to medical treatment during the Covid pandemic.
A new study found those with higher levels of anxiety and depression pre-pandemic were 24% more likely to have had delays to medical procedures.
Moreover, they were 12% more likely to have lost their job than those with average levels of anxiety and depression.
They were also 33% more likely to have suffered delays or missed out on prescriptions or medication during the first eight to 10 months of the pandemic.
Dr Praveetha Patalay, senior author on the paper from University College London (UCL), said: "Our findings highlight that the wider health and economic impacts of the pandemic have been disproportionately experienced by those with mental health difficulties, potentially leading to worsening longer-term outcomes, even post-pandemic, for those already experiencing poor mental health."
The study is one of several set up by the UK's chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance and was published in the British Journal of Psychiatry.
Researchers looked at data from 59,482 people who are surveyed regularly as part of ongoing studies.
Dr Giorgio Di Gessa, lead author of the paper from UCL's institute of epidemiology and healthcare, said: "Special care should be taken by pharmacists and primary care staff to ensure people with mental health difficulties do not miss appointments, procedures and prescriptions.
Pre-pandemic psychological distress was generally more common among "women, younger generations, ethnic minorities" and those with "fewer qualifications, potentially putting them at risk psychologically, at the height of the crisis, added Dr Di Gessa.
The researchers compared the experience of people with "average" levels of anxiety and depression to those with more anxiety and depression.
The results of the study were not affected by whether the participants had a clinical diagnosis or were seeking treatment for a mental illness.