Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms After COVID-19 Infection in Primary Healthcare: A Cross-Sectional Study from Sarajevo Canton

The COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with increased psychological distress in the general population. This study aimed to examine differences in anxiety and depressive symptoms between individuals who had recovered from COVID-19 and those without a history of infection in a primary healthcare setting. Methods A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in April 2022 in Canton Sarajevo. The analysis included 279 participants who completed an online questionnaire and reported no previously diagnosed mental disorder. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were assessed using the GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scales and analyzed as continuous and binary outcomes. Group differences were examined using non-parametric tests, and independent associations were assessed using multivariable regression models adjusted for relevant covariates. Results Among the participants, 138 (49.5%) reported a history of COVID-19 infection. No statistically significant differences in anxiety or depressive symptoms were observed between participants with and without prior COVID-19 infection in either bivariate or adjusted analyses. Although GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores were slightly higher in the COVID-19 group, these differences did not reach statistical significance. In contrast, female sex and the presence of chronic diseases were independently associated with higher levels of anxiety symptoms. Conclusion No independent association was found between prior COVID-19 infection and anxiety or depressive symptoms in this primary care population. The findings suggest that individual and health-related characteristics may be more important determinants of psychological burden than COVID-19 infection itself in the post-pandemic period.