Table 3.
Comparison of crude HADS scores of all patients and survivors who completed the same questionnaire during and within 2 years before COVID-19 (n = 942), and loneliness scores during COVID-19a (n = 1051).
| Crude HADS and Loneliness scores | Before COVID-19b | During COVID-19 | z | P c |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HADSd median (IQR) | ||||
| Total | 7 (4-11) | 8 (5-12) | −6.87 | <.001 |
| Anxiety | 4 (3-7) | 4 (3-6) | −0.58 | .56 |
| Depression | 2 (1-5) | 3 (2-6) | −11.60 | <.001 |
| De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale,e No. [%] (95% CI) | ||||
| Not lonely | —a | 546 [52.0] (48.9 to 55.0) | — | — |
| Moderately lonely | —a | 409 [38.9] (36.0 to 41.9) | — | — |
| Severely lonely | —a | 96 [9.1] (7.5 to 11.0) | — | — |
Loneliness scores were only measured during COVID-19. CI = confidence interval; COVID-19 = coronavirus disease 2019; HADS = hospital anxiety and depression score; IQR = interquartile range.
Last valid score measured within the last 2 years before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Crude median HADS scores were compared with a 2-sided Wilcoxon signed-rank test.
A HADS total score >7 indicates a possible anxiety disorder or depression and a score >11 indicates a probable depression or anxiety disorder.
Scores between 2 and 4 represent moderate loneliness, a score >4 represents severe loneliness.