Fear and depression during the COVID-19 outbreak in Cameroon: a nation-wide observational study

Abstract

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with significant psychological and social distress worldwide. We investigated fear and depression among adults in Cameroon during different phases of the COVID-19 outbreak. Methods An online survey was conducted in Cameroon from June–December 2020 using a structured questionnaire. Socio-demographic data and information regarding COVID-19 history were obtained. Fear and depressive symptoms were assessed using the Fear of COVID-19 score (FCV-19S) and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), respectively. Responses were clustered in weeks to better appreciate their evolution over time. Results Overall, 7381 responses from all ten regions of Cameroon were analysed (median age: 30 years, 73.3% male). The prevalence of depression (PHQ-9 score ≥ 10) was 8.4%, and that of high fear of COVID-19 (FCV-19S scores ≥19) was 57.4%. These rates were similar across genders, age-groups, and region of residence. While mean weekly PHQ-9 scores remained fairly stable throughout the study period (range: 2.53–3.21; p = 0.101), mean FCV-19S scores were highest during the early weeks but decreased significantly thereafter (from 20.31 to 18.34; p < 0.001). Multivariate analyses revealed that having a postgraduate degree, a history of quarantine, flu-like symptoms during the past 14 days, and higher FCV-19S scores were associated with more severe depressive symptoms, while obtaining COVID-19 information from various sources reduced the odds for depression. Conclusion Depression amidst the COVID-19 crisis is less prevalent in Cameroon than in other countries. Prompt and widespread dissemination of adequate COVID-19 information may reduce the risks for depression by dispelling fear and anxiety among Cameroonians.

Quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic in Austria

“…In China, depression prevalence was higher in urban than rural participants (Gao et al, 2020 ), and in Turkey, depression scores were higher in urban areas and high urbanization was a risk factor for anxiety (Özdin and Bayrak Özdin, 2020 ). In contrast, a study in Cameroon found no association between urbanization, gender, or age on depression and fear during the pandemic but in this sample education level may have been more important (Siewe Fodjo et al, 2021 ). In summary, our results are congruent to Gao et al ( 2020 ) and Özdin and Bayrak Özdin ( 2020 ), which were also conducted during the pandemic, but contrast with pre-pandemic urbanization studies (Shucksmith et al, 2009 ; Purba et al, 2018 ).…”

Prevalence, risk factors and management of common mental health disorders in Cameroon: a systematic review

“…Out of the 32 included studies, the majority were conducted among people living with HIV, [12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24] followed by students, [25][26][27][28][29][30] hospital patients (including patients with diabetes, cancer and tuberculosis), [31][32][33][34] pregnant and postpartum women, 15 35 36 general population, 37 female sex workers 38 and children 38 39 (online supplemental table 2)…”

“…The prevalence of depressive disorder in the general population ranged from 8.4% 37 measured with Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) to 18.5% among female community inhabitants measured using the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric 40 Interview.…”

Long COVID: Association of fear and loneliness with anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder: A case-control study

“…It is crucial to gather data on the mental health of individuals in the post-infection stage to understand these changes better (2). The social upheaval induced by the pandemic has sparked fear, feelings of isolation, and psychiatric disorders in many individuals (3)(4)(5)(6). The continuing threat of novel viral strains prompts concerns about adverse health outcomes (3).…”