COVID-19-Induced Anxiety and Associated Factors Among Urban Residents in West Shewa Zone, Central Ethiopia, 2020

Mapping the association between mental health and people's perceived and actual ability to practice hygiene-related behaviours in humanitarian and pandemic crises: A scoping review

Humanitarian crises such as disease outbreaks, conflict and displacement and natural disasters affect millions of people primarily in low- and middle-income countries. Here, they often reside in areas with poor environmental health conditions leading to an increased burden of infectious diseases such as gastrointestinal and respiratory infections. Water, sanitation, and hygiene behaviours are critical to prevent such infections and deaths. A scoping review was conducted to map out what is known about the association between three mental health disorders and people's perceived and actual ability to practice hygiene-related behaviours, particularly handwashing, in humanitarian and pandemic crises. Published and grey literature was identified through database searches, humanitarian-relevant portals, and consultations with key stakeholders in the humanitarian sector. 25 publications were included, 21 were peer-reviewed published articles and four were grey literature publications. Most of the studies were conducted in mainland China (n = 12) and most were conducted in an outbreak setting (n = 20). Six studies found a positive correlation between handwashing and anxiety where participants with higher rates of anxiety were more likely to practice handwashing with soap. Four studies found an inverse relationship where those with higher rates of anxiety were less likely to wash their hands with soap. The review found mixed results for the association between handwashing and depression, with four of the seven studies reporting those with higher rates of depression were less likely to wash their hands, while the remaining studies found that higher depression scores resulted in more handwashing. Mixed results were also found between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and handwashing. Two studies found that lower scores of PTSD were associated with better hygiene practices, including handwashing with soap. The contradictory patterns suggest that researchers and practitioners need to explore this association further, in a wider range of crises, and need to standardize tools to do so.

Prevalence of anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis of over 2 million people

INTRODUCTION

Uncertainty, disruptions in daily routines, and concerns for the health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic are likely associated with increases in generalized anxiety. The present study aimed to systematically review the literature in order to identify the update prevalence of anxiety in the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

A systematic review and meta-analysis. It included studies that assessed the prevalence of anxiety among the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic.

RESULTS

In total, we included 194 studies. The general prevalence of anxiety was 35.1 %, affecting approximately 851,000 participants. The prevalence in low and middle-income countries (35.1 %; 95%CI: 29.5 % to 41.0 %) was similar compared to high-income countries (34.7 %; 95%CI: 29.6 % to 40.1 %). In studies that provided the proportion of cases in each level of anxiety disorder, mild-to-moderate anxiety affected one quarter of the participants. One in ten cases with anxiety during the COVID-19 may be living with severe or extremely anxiety disorder. Most instruments estimated similar prevalence of anxiety disorders with notable difference in the prevalence estimated by the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 2-item (GAD-2), Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI).

CONCLUSION

One in three adults were living with anxiety disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide.

Prevalence of Anxiety and Depression Among the General Population in Africa During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background

Medical and socio-economic uncertainties surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic have had a substantial impact on mental health. This study aimed to systematically review the existing literature reporting the prevalence of anxiety and depression among the general populace in Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic and examine associated risk factors.

Methods

A systematic search of the following databases African Journal Online, CINAHL, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science was conducted from database inception until 30th September 2021. Studies reporting the prevalence of anxiety and/or depression among the general populace in African settings were considered for inclusion. The methodological quality of included studies was assessed using the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Meta-analyses on prevalence rates were conducted using Comprehensive Meta-analysis software.

Results

Seventy-eight primary studies (62,380 participants) were identified from 2,325 studies via electronic and manual searches. Pooled prevalence rates for anxiety (47%, 95% CI: 40-54%, I2 = 99.19%) and depression (48%, 95% CI: 39-57%, I2 = 99.45%) were reported across Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sex (female) and history of existing medical/chronic conditions were identified as major risk factors for anxiety and depression.

Conclusions

The evidence put forth in this synthesis demonstrates the substantial impact of the pandemic on the pervasiveness of these psychological symptoms among the general population. Governments and stakeholders across continental Africa should therefore prioritize the allocation of available resources to institute educational programs and other intervention strategies for preventing and ameliorating universal distress and promoting psychological wellbeing.

Systematic Review Registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42021228023, PROSPERO CRD42021228023.

The multidimensionality of anxiety among nursing students during COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Over the past year, healthcare workers constantly report their COVID-19 anxiety. However, this concept remained understudied among nursing students (NSs).

AIM

This study investigated the difference between NSs' three types of anxiety and their profile variables during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

This study used a cross-sectional, descriptive-correlational design. Three instruments were used: COVID-19 anxiety scale (CAS), COVID-19 anxiety syndrome scale (COVID-19ASS), and short health anxiety inventory (SHAI) to collect data from 484 Saudi NSs. We applied the Mann-Whitney U test and linear regression to analyze the data.

RESULTS

Across the three instruments; CAS, Item 1 "I feel bad when thinking about COVID-19"; COVID-19ASS, Item 11 "I have imagined what could happen to my family members if they contracted COVID-19"; and SHAI, Item 17 "A serious illness could ruin many aspects of my life" yielded the highest means. COVID-19ASS showed a significant difference for the profiles "known positive" (p = 0.05) and "action taken after with testing" (p = 0.05). NS, who knew someone with COVID-19, was the only predictor of CAS.

CONCLUSION

Our study concludes NSs experience anxiety symptoms. Anxiety is specific to COVID-19 or a set of similar anxiety symptoms. Further research is needed to explore the anxiety state of NSs during the pandemic.

COVID-19-related anxiety and knowledge toward its preventive measures among patients with chronic medical illness on follow-up in public hospitals of Bale, East Bale, and West Arsi zones, Ethiopia

Background

Coronavirus disease 2019, also known as 2019-nCoV cluster of acute respiratory illness with unknown causes, which occurred in Wuhan, Hubei Province, in China, was first reported to World Health Organization country office as of December 30, 2019. People with medical illness are at a higher risk for coronavirus disease, and the pandemic influences mental health and causes psychological problems, particularly in those with chronic medical illness. Hence, this study aimed to assess coronavirus disease 2019-related anxiety and the knowledge on its preventive measures among patients with medical illness on follow-up in public hospitals of Bale, East Bale, and Arsi zones.

Objective

To assess coronavirus disease 2019-related anxiety and knowledge toward coronavirus disease 2019 preventive measures among patients with chronic medical illness on follow-up in public hospitals of Bale, East Bale, and West Arsi zones.

Methods

A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted in selected hospitals of Bale and West Arsi zones, Southeast Ethiopia. A total of 633 study participants were included in this study, and data were collected through an interviewer-administered questionnaire. A descriptive summary was computed. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were carried out to identify the associated factors.

Results

Overall, the prevalence of anxiety among chronic patients in this study was 6.3% (95% confidence interval: 4.6%-8.5%) and 420 (66.35%) had good knowledge on the preventive measures of coronavirus disease 2019. Factors significantly associated with anxiety among chronic patients were being educated (95% confidence interval: adjusted odds ratio = 0.26 (0.09-0.74)), being male (95% confidence interval: 2.69 (1.11-6.53)), and use of mask (95% confidence interval: 0.11 (0.05-0.26)).

Conclusion

The prevalence of coronavirus disease 2019-related anxiety among chronic patients was high and being males, uneducated, and not using face mask was significantly associated with coronavirus disease 2019-related anxiety.

The Psychological Impacts During the Initial Phase of the COVID-19 Outbreak, and its Associated Factors Among Pastoral Community in West Omo Zone, South-West Ethiopia, 2020: A Community-Based Study

BACKGROUND

COVID-19 is a global pandemic and a major health crisis affecting several nations. Such outbreaks are associated with adverse mental health consequences to any group of the population. Despite its negative effects, no study has addressed the potential psychological impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak among the pastoral community. This study aims to assess psychological experiences during the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak and the factors that contributed to it among pastoral community residents in West Omo, South-West Ethiopia.

METHODS

A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out from May to June 2020. The study subjects were selected through a multistage sampling technique. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews, and entered into EpiData 3.1, then exported to SPSS version 24 for statistical analysis. The psychological impact was assessed by the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21). P-value < 0.20 during bi-variable analysis was considered as a candidate for multivariable logistic regression. Independent factors of depression, anxiety, and stress were assessed using adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence level s at P-value < 0.05 cut-off point.

RESULTS

A total of 845 eligible pastoral residents were interviewed, with a 94.4% response rate. The prevalence of a positive response for anxiety, depression and stress was 30.8%, 26.3% and 24.4%, respectively. Being female was highly associated with developing anxiety and depression. Anxiety was found to be three times more prevalent among the respondents with ≥ 3 family members. Furthermore, participants with a history of mental illness, poor social support, and a high perceived life threat were also at a higher risk of experiencing anxiety, depression, and stress.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of positive depression, anxiety and stress results were high. As a result, special attention should be paid, by governmental and non-governmental health organizations, to psychosocial and mental health programs for pastoral residentsduring the COVID-19 pandemic.