OBJECTIVES: To assess the prevalence of mental disorders during the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic in comparison with both, baseline and the first wave of the pandemic, and to identify disproportionally affected non-clinical subgroups. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We used data from three nationally representative cross-sectional studies and compared the prevalence of current mood and anxiety disorders, and alcohol-use disorders at baseline (November 2017, n = 3306), immediately after the first peak (May 2020, n = 3021), and during the second peak (November 2020, n = 3000) of COVID-19 in Czechia. We used the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.) as a screening instrument, and calculated weighted prevalence (%) with 95% weighted confidence intervals (95% CIs). Additionally, we examined the prevalence of these disorders across different non-clinical population sub-groups during the second wave of the pandemic. RESULTS: The proportion of individuals experiencing at least one mental disorder was highest during the second wave of the pandemic (32.94%, 95% CI = 31.14%; 34.77%), when compared to both the baseline in November 2017 (20.02%, 95% CI = 18.64%; 21.39%), and the first wave in May 2020 (29.63%, 95% CI = 27.9%; 31.37%). Younger adults, students, those having lost a job or on forced leave, and those with only elementary education displayed disproportionally high prevalence of mental disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that population mental health has not returned to pre-COVID-19 levels. It seems that mental health of some population subgroups, such as young adults or those worse off economically, might have been affected disproportionately by the COVID-19 situation, and future studies identifying high-risk groups are warranted.

Clinical Center National Institute of Mental Health Topolová 748 250 67 Klecany Czech Republic; Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology 3rd Faculty of Medicine Charles University Prague Ruská 87 100 00 Prague 10 Czech Republic

Department of Public Mental Health National Institute of Mental Health Topolová 748 250 67 Klecany Czech Republic

Department of Public Mental Health National Institute of Mental Health Topolová 748 250 67 Klecany Czech Republic; Department of Psychiatry Faculty of Medicine University Hospital in Pilsen Charles University Prague Czech Republic

Department of Public Mental Health National Institute of Mental Health Topolová 748 250 67 Klecany Czech Republic; Epi Centre Department of Psychiatry University of Cambridge Herchel Smith Buidling for Brain and Mind Sciences Forvie Site Robinson Way Cambridge CB2 0SZ United Kingdom

Department of Public Mental Health National Institute of Mental Health Topolová 748 250 67 Klecany Czech Republic; Health Service and Population Research Department Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience King's College London David Goldberg Centre De Crespigny Park London SE5 8AF United Kingdom

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