The Global Prevalence of Depression, Anxiety, Stress, and Insomnia Among General Population During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

This study aimed to examine research findings related to depression, anxiety, stress, and insomnia during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study also explored periodic changes in the prevalence of depression, anxiety, stress, and insomnia among the general people during this pandemic. We performed a meta-analysis by searching articles from several sources (PubMed, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar). We used the random-effects models, subgroup analysis, and heterogeneity test approaches. Results show that the prevalence of depression, stress, and insomnia increased during March to April 2020 (30.51%, 29.4%, and 25%, respectively) compared to the study period before February 2020 (25.25%, 16.27%, and 22.63%, respectively) and followed in May to June 2020 (16.47%, 5.1%, and 19.86, respectively). The prevalence of depression and anxiety from k = 30 studies was 28.18% (95% CI: 23.81–32.54) and 29.57% (95% CI: 24.67–34.47), respectively. And the prevalence of stress (k = 13) was 25.18% (95% CI: 14.82–35.54), and the prevalence of insomnia (k = 12) was 23.50% (95% CI: 16.44–30.57). These prevalence estimates during the pandemic are very high compared to normal times. Hence, the governments and policymakers should apply proven strategies and interventions to avoid psychological adversity and improve overall mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.