The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of the adult population in Bangladesh: a nationwide cross-sectional study

Abstract

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has imposed threats on both physical and mental health since its outbreak. This study aimed to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health among a representative sample of home-quarantined Bangladeshi adults. A cross-sectional design was used with an online survey completed by a convenience sample recruited via social media. A total of 1,427 respondents were recruited, and their mental health was assessed by the DASS-21 measure. The prevalence of anxiety symptoms and depressive symptoms was 33.7% and 57.9%, respectively, and 59.7% reported mild to extremely severe levels of stress. Perceptions that the pandemic disrupted life events, affected mental health, jobs, the economy and education, predictions of a worsening situation, and uncertainty of the health care system capacities were significantly associated with poor mental health outcomes. Multivariate logistic regressions showed that sociodemographic factors and perceptions of COVID-19 significantly predict mental health outcomes. These findings warrant the consideration of easily accessible lowintensity mental health interventions during and beyond this pandemic.

Correlates of Financial Concerns and Symptoms of Depression and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Impoverished Urban-dwelling Individuals in Bangladesh During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Face-to-face Interview Findings

“…The current COVID-19 pandemic has exerted psychological and financial impacts on many people (Banna et al, 2020;Bodrud-Doza et al, 2020;Islam et al, 2020c;Zubayer et al, 2020).…”

Does Emotional Well-Being Mediate Between the Association of Peer Support and Depressive Symptoms in University Students During COVID-19 Pandemic?

“…Public places and schools were briefly re-opened in late May, only to be shut down a few weeks later when the third wave of virus outbreak hit the city (surging new cases had been documented since June 22nd). Such prolonged isolation and changes of daily routine are likely to cause psychological and emotional distress among the public and students [4][5][6][7]. One possible reason is that disease control measures such as social isolation make it more difficult for people to satisfy one of their fundamental psychological needs, that of belongingness [14].…”

“…To recap, under the impact of COVID-19, individuals around the globe have been experiencing psychological problems such as elevated depressive symptoms [4][5][6][7]. Some public health measures such as school closures and social distancing helped contain the spread of virus, but also prevented people, especially students, from satisfying their need to connect to others.…”

“…To understand the psychological impact of the pandemic, researchers across continents and disciplines gathered data from a wide range of population. Results consistently showed that, since the onset of pandemic, people around the globe have been experiencing a variety of psychological problems, such as depression and anxiety [4][5][6][7]. These problems also emerged among students, given that with the majority of schools temporarily shut down for a certain period of time across the globe, they were forced to leave schools and stay away from their friends, teachers, and classrooms; their perceptions of peer supporta critical psychological resourcemight thus be compromised.…”

Mass Media Influence on Changing lifestyle of Community People During COVID-19 Pandemic in Bangladesh: A Cross Sectional Survey

“…Hossain et al (2020) reported that the spread of misinformation from social and electronic media can put extra pressure on mental health stress during the COVID-19 outbreak. A recent study by Banna et al (2020) stated that the COVID-19 among adult populations in Bangladesh interrupted the lifestyle behavior affecting job sectors, mental health stress, the economy, and education systems. Nevertheless, there is a lack of evidence of the mass media in uence on lifestyle behavior changes of community people, especially from Bangladesh during the COVD-19 pandemic.…”