One in three adults are experiencing anxiety and depression related to COVID-19, a new study shows. The finding is particularly true for women, younger adults, and those of lower socioeconomic status, the researchers report. COVID-19 continues to pose serious threats to public health worldwide, and interventions such as lockdowns, quarantine, and social distancing are having an adverse impact on mental well-being. The pandemic has escalated the burden of psychological distress, including anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, and insomnia. However, factors associated with increased susceptibility to psychological distress among adults in the general population during COVID-19 are not yet well known. “Understanding these factors is crucial for designing preventive programs and mental health resource planning during the rapidly evolving COVID-19 outbreak,” says lead author Tazeen Jafar, professor in the Health Services and Systems Research Programme at Duke-NUS, who led the study. “These factors could be used to identify populations at high risk of psychological distress so they can be offered targeted remote and in-person interventions.”