Study says mental health problem caused by COVID-19 in U.S. 'prevalent and persistent'
March 29, 2022, 3:07 pm

Study says mental health problem caused by COVID-19 in U.S. 'prevalent and persistent'

UK study says that even mild forms of COVID-19 can cause a reduction in brain size (File photo: Pixabay)

The Xinhua reported, according to the Australian news website The Conversation, mental health problem driven by the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States was both prevalent and persistent.

The report, citing a study conducted by researchers from Boston University, more than one fifth of the U.S. adults reported probable depression in both spring 2020 and spring 2021.

The national study in March 2020 measured mental health and assets, when 27.8 percent of the American adults reported symptoms of depression, such as losing interest in activities or feeling down or hopeless. The number was more than three times as high as the national pre-pandemic depression estimate of 8.5 percent.

The report said: "Most striking to us was that a year into the pandemic, depression rates remained high, despite hopeful signs of reducing infections and deaths."

Time square in New York city, USA (File photo: Pixabay)

In April 2021 when people were receiving vaccine shots and doctors were looking for better COVID-19 treatments, the rate of adults reporting symptoms of depression rose to 32.8 percent.

It said: "Worse yet, that higher 2021 number included 20.3 percent who had reported symptoms of depression both in April 2020 and in April 2021. This finding suggests that poor mental health driven by the pandemic was both prevalent and persistent."

Covid death toll in USA reaches 900,000

The report said: "Nearly one million U.S. lives have been lost to COVID-19, and there have been almost five million hospitalizations," adding that "We believe the pandemic's sustained impact on the nation's mental health is unprecedented."

Source: xinhua

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Upon arriving to participate in the summit of the European Political Community, which includes around forty heads of state in Budapest, he said, "I look forward to sitting with the elected U.S. president and seeing how we will collectively ensure we meet challenges, including the threats from Russia and North Korea." He also noted that the strengthening of ties between Russia and North Korea poses a threat to the United States as well, according to reports from Agence France-Presse.

Before Trump's victory, Rutte expressed confidence that a united Washington would remain part of the defensive alliance, even if Trump became the 47th president of the United States. In an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF last Monday night, he stated that both Republicans and Democrats understand that NATO serves not only the security of Europe but also that of America. He added that both candidates are aware that the security of the United States is closely tied to NATO.

On Wednesday, NATO congratulated Trump on his victory but did not address the Ukrainian issue.

It is noteworthy that the relationship between the elected U.S. president and the defense alliance was not the best during his first term in the White House. Trump criticized NATO member states multiple times and even hinted at withdrawing from the alliance unless they increased their financial contributions.

Additionally, the issue of the Russian-Ukrainian war is one of the matters that complicate relations between the two sides, especially since Trump has repeatedly stated that he can end this ongoing conflict, which began in 2022, quickly. He implied that he had a peace plan between Kyiv and Moscow, while his vice president, JD Vance, revealed aspects of that plan, which stipulated Ukraine's commitment not to join NATO, thereby sending reassuring signals to the Russians.

Furthermore, many NATO member states in Europe fear that Trump might halt military aid to Ukraine after he previously criticized the U.S. for pouring funds into supporting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.