Mental health characteristics of the population in the Northern Hungary region one year after the pandemic

Abstract

The authors used cross-sectional quantitative research to investigate mental health characteristics in the post-pandemic period. In addition to assessing depression, anxiety, and stress, the research aimed to explore protective and threatening factors for mental state and well-being. A total of 1157 adult respondents (n = 1157) participated in the study (mean age: 36.1 years; standard deviation: 14.6). 791 of the respondents (68.36%) live in the North-Hungary region and form the sub-sample of the study. In addition to questions on sociodemographic data, the questionnaire included questions on subjective health, religious practice and mental health characteristics. The results suggest that gender, education, type of settlement, family relationships and religious practice play an important role in depression, anxiety and stress. The mental health of the sample is below the Hungarian population average and significantly worse than the national average.