BACKGROUND
Bangladesh, in combat with the global pandemic, has taken multiple initiatives to minimize the spread of the new Coronavirus. Actions such as lockdown, social distancing, and restricted lifestyles are known to affect mental health among mass people.
OBJECTIVE
We carried out the study to understand the mental health condition of the adults during the pandemic of COVID 19, with a particular focus on depression and anxiety.
METHODS
An online survey was conducted in Bangladesh during the COVID-19 epidemic from 10-30 April 2020 to assess the distribution and magnitude of depression and anxiety among the adult population.
RESULTS
Among 509 participants, 32.2% had depressive disorders, 47.3% had generalized anxiety disorders (GAD), and 28.1% of them were found to have both disorders. Depression and anxiety are preponderant in females compared to males. The likelihood of having depressive disorder was found higher in females (P=.014, OR=1.6), 18 to 24 years old (P<.001, OR=4.2), 25 to 34 years old (P=.047, OR=1.9) students (P=.001, OR=4.8) and jobless people (P=.027, OR=4.5). In case of GAD, positive associations were found with 18 to 24 years old (P<.001, OR=3.4), 25 to 34 years old (P=.002, OR=2.5), females (P=.001, OR=1.8), students (P=.004, OR=3.3), job holders (P=.044, OR=2.2), businessmen (P=.007, OR=4.5) and home-makers (P=.037, OR=2.7). A higher proportion of females were experiencing functional difficulties due to depression. The severity of depression and anxiety were also higher in females. We found higher percentages of severe depression and anxiety among participants aged between 18 and 24 years. Among different stressful, stimulating thoughts, adjusting all other factors, thoughts about ‘staying away from the family or someone like a family’ was found to have significant positive associations with both depressive disorder (P=.036, OR=1.7) and anxiety disorder (P=.008, OR=1.9).
CONCLUSIONS
The vulnerability of a population during the crisis is common in other contexts, and women seem to have a more significant impact and suffer more from a mental health disorder. A steep rise of both depression and anxiety in a short time demands specific and inclusive interventions in the country.
The study findings suggest that during this pandemic, the adult population, especially the women, suffered from anxiety and depression. Therefore, the mental health of people should receive equal attention as their physical health. The policymakers need to pay attention to this to prevent further vulnerability, protect the overall well-being and productivity of the population.