From the First to the Third Wave of COVID-19: Dynamics of Anxious Behavior in Large Russian Cities (Moscow and Rostov-on-Don)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has created the worst public health crisis in modern history. Stress in the face of the disease threat, a global restructuring of the common way of life, uncertainty and fears for the health and well-being of relatives and friends have led to an increase in anxiety among the population of all countries. Important risk factors for increased stress during the pandemic are sex, age, epidemiological experience, and place of residence. Large cities become centers of the spread of diseases due to the high population density, high mobility, and the presence of large transport hubs. The article examines the dynamics of anxious behavior during three waves of COVID-19 in 2020–2021, taking the cases of two largest Russian cities – Moscow and Rostov-on-Don (total sample – 4884 people). The analysis explains the regional and sex differences in anxious behavior and demonstrates the two main trends: on the one hand, there is an adaptation to the prolonged stress; on the other hand, the numbers of respondents with anxiety and depressive disorders are increasing, which may indicate the presence of post-traumatic stress.