Gender differences in social determinant factors of mental health problems among adults during the COVID-19 pandemic in Yogyakarta, Indonesia: A multilevel analysis

Abstract

Abstract Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may increase mental health problems due to several pandemic-related stressors. These stressors may arise and become health problems. The study aims to provide evidence of determinants of mental health among adults in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, and examines individual, family, and community factors contributing to adult mental health problems during the COVID-19 pandemic based on gender. Methods A total of 1,328 people (aged 24–59) from Sleman District, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, were involved in this cross-sectional study. We used secondary data from the Sleman HDSS sixth wave’s data collection in 2020. The measurement of mental health was the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ). The analysis was conducted using chi-square tests and logistic regression. Results This study showed that 21.16% of respondents had a mental health problem. Based on stratified analysis by gender, the highest determinant of mental health in the male population was getting laid off (OR: 10.2; 95% CI: 1.50–70.0), and in the female population, it was having cancer (OR: 9.71; 95% CI: 1.67–56.5). The highest risk factor for the family level was being a woman in the poorest family (OR: 2.74; 95% CI: 1.46–5.11). In addition, at the community level, living in urban areas was protective against mental health problems (OR: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.36–0.97). Conclusions The individual level significantly influences mental health; however, we cannot ignore the contribution of family and community factors to preventing mental health problems in the adult population.