Statewide Survey of Psychological Distress Among People of Tamil Nadu in the COVID-19 Pandemic

Ramasubramanian, Vikhram; Mohandoss, Anusa Arunachalam; Rajendhiran, Gopi; Pandian, P Raja Soundara; Ramasubramanian, Chellamuthu

doi:10.1177/0253717620935581

Cited by 26 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…The survey script was available for all devices. The questionnaire used (Additional Table 1) was similar to those used in China during the tumultuous time of the COVID-19 epidemic [11], and to small surveys in Saudi Arabia [14], India [15], Iran [16], Brazil [17], Nepal [18], and Germany [19]. The socio-demographic section was modified to be more compliant with the Italian situation.…”

Section: Participants and Proceduresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychological distress among Italians during the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) quarantine

et al. 2021

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Background Quarantine as a preventive action to reduce people’s exposure to a contagious disease has substantial psychological impact. We aimed to collect information on psychologically distressing experiences of Italians living in quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods From 6 to 20 April 2020 participants filled out an online questionnaire. Demographic and physical symptoms data from the prior 14 days of quarantine were collected. Psychological impact of quarantine was assessed by the COVID-19 Peritraumatic Distress Index (CPDI). Results In all, 20,158 participants completed the online survey. Of these, 11,910 (59.1%) were from Lombardy, the region with 37.7% of positive cases identified during the survey period. 30.1% of responders were male. About half (55.9%) of responders were 18–50 years old, 54.3% had a tertiary level of education, 69.5% were workers, 84.1% were living in houses with ≥3 rooms, and 13.7% were living alone. 9.7% had had contact with COVID-19 positive people. Of all responders, 9978 (48.6%) reported a psychological impact, 8897 (43.4%) of whom reported mild or moderate and 1081 (5.2%) severe psychological impact. The multivariate analysis, after adjustments, showed that an increasing CPDI score was associated with gender (female), first-second educational level, being unemployed, living in a ≤2 room house, having had new health problems during the previous 14 days, and not having been out of the house in the previous week. Concerning the type of psychological distress, 2003 responders (9.9%) reported moderate to severe depressive symptoms, 1131 (5.5%) moderate to severe anxiety symptoms, and 802 (3.9%) moderate to severe physical symptoms. A positive correlation was found between responder rate (per 10.000 residents) and positive COVID-19 cases (per 10.000 residents) by region (rs = + 0.83, p = < 0.0001), and between responder rate and region latitude (rs = + 0.91, p = < 0.0001), with a greater response rate in the north. Considering Lombardy Region responders, a negative correlation between CPDI score and distance from place of residence to the red zone (Nembro-Alzano) was found. Higher prevalence of psychological distress was found up to 25 km away from the red zone and, in particular, severe distress up to 15 km. Conclusions Policy makers and mental health professionals should be aware of quarantine’s adverse mental health consequences. Factors influencing the success of quarantine and infection control practices for both disease containment and community recovery should be identified and additional support to vulnerable persons at increased risk of adverse psychological and social consequences of quarantine should be guaranteed.

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Section: Participants and Proceduresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychological distress among Italians during the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) quarantine

et al. 2021

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“…A study done in April 2020 at Tamil Nadu through online mode had similar results of younger age people having more psychological stress than older people. 13 The young and middle age had higher scores of distress in a study done in Australia using DASS21 during the start of the pandemic. 14 The Normative aging study (NAS) explains the possible reasons for this observation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Prevalence of distress symptoms during COVID-19 pandemic- a comparative community study from South India

Rajasekar¹,

Ramakrishnan²,

Nagasundaram³

et al. 2021

Int J Community Med Public Health

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Background: After the reported first case of COVID-19, all the existed preventive measures were augmented in the country.2The state had a lockdown from 23 March 2020 onwards with various phases of unlocking. The study aimed to compare the mental health symptoms among urban and rural populations experiencing the pandemic and lockdowns.Methods: This was a community-based cross-sectional study done in the Trichirapalli district in south India. 503 participants were selected by random sampling stratified for gender, rural area, urban area, and age. The study was done in June and July 2020 with the Depression anxiety stress scale (DASS21) questionnaire.Results: The DASS21 questionnaire elicited depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and stress symptoms. The prevalence of nil symptoms among the study population was 26.2%, 4.6% had any one symptom, 12.5% had any two symptoms, 56.7% had all three symptoms. Among the depressive symptoms, 8.3% had mild, 13.3% moderate, 6.6% severe, and 1.4% extremely severe symptoms. 10.5% had mild symptoms, 15.9% moderate, 4.6% severe, and 6% extremely severe anxiety symptoms. About 8% experienced mild symptoms, 5.2% moderate, 2.2% severe, and 0.2% extremely stress symptoms. Age less than or equal to 42 years had twice the odds OR 2.02, 95% CI (1.328 to 3.074) of having three symptoms. The rural population had twice OR 2.32, 95% CI (1.526 to 3.540) the odds of having all three symptoms. The upper socioeconomic status (SES) had 0.384 times lesser odds of developing all three symptoms and is a protective factor with OR 0.616, 95% CI (0.397 to 0.956).Conclusions: The rural population, age less than or equal to 42 years had high odds of having all three symptoms of distress. The high-income group had less odds of having the symptoms compared to other income groups.

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“…A similar study conducted in Tamil Nadu reported that 23% of respondents were more stressed than usual due to COVID-19, and 8.01% avoided news coverage because this worsened their stress. 9 …”

Section: Suicide and Mental Health In The Context Of Covid-19 In Indimentioning

confidence: 99%

Imitative Suicide, Mental Health, and Related Sobriquets

Chatterjee

D’cruz

2020

Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine

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dia indicates that 61% of the respondents suffered from mental health concerns during the lockdown. 6 The Jindal School of Law reported that suicide was the leading cause of all nonvirus deaths reported between March 26 and June 11, 2020. 7 Research from West Bengal during the lockdown indicated that 71.8% of respondents reported feeling more worried than usual, and 24.7% reported a worsening of depressive symptoms in the past two weeks. Strikingly, more respondents (69.6%) were worried about financial losses they were incurring due to the lockdown than about the risk of contracting COVID-19 (52.1%). In total, 34.7% of the respondents reported feeling more anxious, and 24.6% reported feeling more depressed, after reading news coverage of the pandemic. 8 A similar study conducted in Tamil Nadu reported that 23% of respondents were more stressed than usual due to COVID-19, and 8.01% avoided news coverage because this worsened their stress. 9 Community centers and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have reported a ten-fold increase in domestic vi-

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Statewide Survey of Psychological Distress Among People of Tamil Nadu in the COVID-19 Pandemic

Cited by 26 publications

References 26 publications

Psychological distress among Italians during the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) quarantine

Psychological distress among Italians during the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) quarantine

Prevalence of distress symptoms during COVID-19 pandemic- a comparative community study from South India

Imitative Suicide, Mental Health, and Related Sobriquets

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