This “inventory” is based on the latest lessons in an investigation, Epicov, conducted in four episodes to follow the evolution of the COVVI-19 epidemic and its repercussions on living conditions and health.
About 64,000 people aged at least 15 years representative of the population living in France (excluding Guyana, Mayotte and residents in EHPAD or prisons) were questioned between spring 2020 and autumn 2022 for this survey, developed by the Statistical Service of Social Ministries (DREES) and INSERM, with public health France and INSEE.
The last part shows an increase in suicidal thoughts between fall 2020 and fall 2022 (from 2.8%to 3.4%), much more pronounced among those under 25, and even more among young women (8.7%), summarizes the DREES.
For depressive syndromes, the observation is mixed.
On the one hand, a “slight decline” of their frequency, from 10.6% to 9.6%, between 2021 and 2022, mainly linked to a decrease in light syndromes. On the other, a stagnation of major syndromes, which affected 5.3% of the population in the fall of 2022.
Depending on the age, the situation varies strongly. For 15-24 year olds, the prevalence of depressive syndromes is much higher in 2022 than just before the pandemic -it had already progressed strongly between 2014 and 2019.
Conversely, it has ironed under the 2019 level for the 35 years or over, and even under that of 2014 for 65 years or over.
As risk factors, all types of discrimination (age, sex, origin, weight, handicap) are associated with the presence of depressive syndrome, as well as defining itself homosexual or bisexual, to be exposed to screens for more than six hours per day excluding professional reasons, to make social networks at least once per hour, points out the study.
More broadly, financial difficulties, social isolation and chronic disease are very linked to the prevalence of depressive syndrome.
Between 2021 and 2022, children and adolescents (5-17 years old), “more particularly girls”, experienced a “significant” increase in emotional difficulties, sadness or anxiety.
As for mental health care, general practitioners are less consulted (-2 points in one year, at 5%of adults), but specialists more, psychologists (+2 points at 6%) as psychiatrists (+1, 3%).
But the level of non-recourse to care is “worrying”: about half of people with suicidal thoughts, more than 60% of those with a major depressive or severe depressive syndrome.