With imprisonment, the frequency of depressive disorders has nearly doubled in just over a month

The French public health agency released its update on the country’s epidemiological situation on Thursday. The document cites in particular the CoviPrev study which explores the consequences of Covid-19 and the measures intended to combat it on the morale of the French. Depressive disorders increase very significantly.

Public Health France released its update on the country’s epidemiological situation on Thursday. In addition to the data relating to contamination from Covid-19 and the consequent hospitalizations, for the week from 2 to 8 November, the document reports the results of the measurement carried out from 4 to 6 November by the CoviPrev study which probed the moral state of the French.

This indicator shows a very significant increase in depressive disorders compared to the statistics at the end of September. Between the beginning of November and the last days of September they even increased by ten points. The prevalence of these in the general population was 11% six weeks ago, it is now established at 21%.

Young people are very impressed

The first feelings associated with this deterioration in the mental health of the French are those of isolation and loneliness, anger, frustration, the idea of ​​vulnerability to the virus. The constraints that the health crisis can place on individuals’ shoulders, starting with financial difficulties, also play their part.

We can read a 14-point increase in depressive states among people in very difficult financial situations, reaching 35% of them. This share stands at 29% among the inactive after an increase, this time, of 15 points. The increase in anxiety is particularly evident among young people. A progression of these disorders of 16 points is noted between 18-24 years of age, affecting, once again, 29% of them. The flood is 15 points for 25-34 year olds, with a prevalence of 25% among them.

Some encouraging indicators

However, the summary from Public Health France, based on data from the week of November 2 to 8, shows that some indicators could (slightly) mitigate the environmental disaster.

The agency notes that the weekly number of contaminations is lower than the previous week: 286,972 versus 333,371. The positivity rate also dropped from 21% to 19.5%. The increase in the number of hospitalizations for Covid-19 continues but slowing, with an increase of 14% against the previous 43%.