What This Means
This large German study followed nearly 92,000 adults from before the COVID-19 pandemic through its early phase, comparing their physical and mental health at two time points separated by a median of about three years. Surprisingly, many people actually reported better overall physical health during the early pandemic — including 39% of those who had good health before and nearly 70% of those who had poorer health before. However, mental health told a different story: rates of high depression, anxiety, and stress all increased, with stress showing the largest jump (from 4.3% to 10.1% of participants reporting high stress levels).
The research suggests that different groups of people were affected very differently by the pandemic. Men, younger adults, those with higher education, and those who were employed tended to fare better in terms of overall self-rated health. Women were more likely to experience higher depression scores. People who smoked, had pre-existing mental health conditions, had been tested for COVID-19, or were physically inactive were more vulnerable to worse health outcomes. Increased or heavy alcohol consumption was associated with both better self-rated physical health but worse mental health (specifically depression), highlighting the complexity of health behaviors during this period.
This research suggests that while some people may have experienced certain lifestyle benefits during the early pandemic (such as reduced commuting or slower pace of life that improved perceived physical health), the psychological toll — particularly stress and depression — was real and measurable across a large population. The findings highlight that vulnerable groups, especially women, physically inactive individuals, and those with existing mental health conditions, may need targeted support during public health crises and accompanying social distancing measures.