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Sex differences in self-report anxiety and sleep quality during COVID-19 stay-at-home orders
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Sex differences in self-report anxiety and sleep quality during COVID-19 stay-at-home orders

Jeremy A Bigalke, Ian M Greenlund and Jason R Carter
Biology of sex differences, Vol.11(1), pp.56-11
10/13/2020
DOI: 10.1186/s13293-020-00333-4
PMID: 33050941
url
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13293-020-00333-4View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

COVID-19 and home isolation has impacted quality of life, but the perceived impact on anxiety and sleep remains equivocal. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of COVID-19 and stay-at-home orders on self-report anxiety and sleep quality, with a focus on sex differences. We hypothesized that the COVID-19 pandemic would be associated with increased anxiety and decreased sleep quality, with stronger associations in women. One hundred three participants (61 female, 38 ± 1 years) reported perceived changes in anxiety and sleep quality due to stay-at-home orders during the COVID-19 pandemic and were administered the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). Chi-square and T test analyses were utilized to assess sex differences in reported anxiety and sleep. Analysis of covariance was used to compare the associations between reported impact of COVID-19 and anxiety/sleep parameters. Women (80.3%) reported higher prevalence of increased general anxiety due to COVID-19 when compared to men (50%; p = 0.001) and elevated STAI state anxiety compared to men (43 ± 1 vs. 38 ± 1 a.u., p = 0.007). Despite these differences in anxiety, the perceived impact of COVID-19 on PSQI was not different between sexes. However, when stratified by perceived changes in anxiety due to COVID-19, participants with higher anxiety responses to COVID-19 had higher ISI compared to those with no perceived changes in anxiety (9 ± 1 vs. 5 ± 1 a.u., p = 0.003). Additionally, participants who reported reduced sleep quality due to COVID-19 reported higher state anxiety (45 ± 1 a.u.) compared to those that perceived no change (36 ± 2 a.u., p = 0.002) or increased (36 ± 2 a.u., p < 0.001) sleep quality. COVID-19 and state-ordered home isolation was associated with higher anxiety and reduced sleep quality, with a stronger association in women with respect to anxiety.
 Adolescent Adult Aged Anxiety Disorders - epidemiology Anxiety Disorders - etiology Anxiety Disorders - psychology Betacoronavirus - isolation & purification Coronavirus Infections - epidemiology Coronavirus Infections - prevention & control Coronavirus Infections - psychology Coronavirus Infections - transmission COVID-19 Female Humans Life Style Male Middle Aged Pandemics - prevention & control Pneumonia, Viral - epidemiology Pneumonia, Viral - prevention & control Pneumonia, Viral - psychology Pneumonia, Viral - transmission Prevalence Quality of Life Quarantine - psychology SARS-CoV-2 Self Report Sex Factors Sleep Wake Disorders - epidemiology Sleep Wake Disorders - etiology Sleep Wake Disorders - psychology Sleep Wake Disorders - virology United States - epidemiology Young Adult

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