Consequences of COVID-19 pandemics on the mental well-being of general population of Pakistan

• Published in: Middle East Current Psychiatry Vol. 29; no. 1; pp. 1 - 5
• Main Authors: Um-e-Kalsoom, Bibi, Nadia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 10.06.2022; Springer; SpringerOpen
• Subjects: Analysis; Anxiety; Center of Epidemiologic Studies-Depression; China; COVID-19; Depression; Depression, Mental; Earthquakes; Epidemics; Epidemiology; Impact of life events; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Mentally ill; Pakistan; Psychiatry; Psychological aspects; Quarantine; China; Pakistan; COVID-19; Depression; Impact of life events; Anxiety; Center of Epidemiologic Studies-Depression
• ISSN: 2090-5416; 2090-5408; 2090-5416
• DOI: 10.1186/s43045-022-00211-2

Background Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the epicenter is facing transcending psychiatric problems. To assess the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental well-being of the community of Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Pakistan), a cross-sectional study design was used to find out depression and anxiety after the first wave of the pandemic. A total of 320 willing individuals participated in the study. Convenience sampling technique was used to collect the data. Demographic information along with a semi-structured interview, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Impact of Life Event Scale-Revised, and Center of Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale were used as measures. The participants of this study were bifurcated into affected ( n = 151) and none affected ( n = 169) on the basis of the impact of life event cut-off scores. Results Data analysis was carried out using t -test and simple linear regression analysis. Results of t -test showed that the pandemic-affected individuals (47%) reported significantly high on the depression and anxiety scores. The verdicts from simple linear regression analysis further demonstrate a history of psychiatric illness, duration of quarantine, and impact of event predicting depression ( R 2 = .15, p < .001). For anxiety history of psychiatric illness, the impact of life events were significant predictors ( R 2 = .28, p < .001) whereas the duration of quarantine, death due to COVID-19, and Impact of Event Scale predicted the center of epidemiological studies for depression ( R 2 .48, p < .001). The finding of the research study concluded that 47% participated individuals were affected due to the pandemic COVID-19. Conclusions The outcome of the study further exhibits that history of previous psychiatric illness, impact of life events, death due to COVID-19, and duration of quarantine are significant predictors of depression and anxiety.