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COVID-19: Factors associated with psychological distress, fear, and coping strategies among community members across 17 countries

Rahman MA 1 , Islam SMS 2 , Tungpunkom P 3 , Sultana F 4 , Alif SM 5 , Banik B 6 Show all authors , Salehin M 6 , Joseph B 6 , Lam L 6 , Watts MC 6 , Khan SJ 7 , Ghozy S 8 , Chair SY 9 , Chien WT 9 , Schönfeldt-Lecuona C 10 , El-Khazragy N 11 , Mahmud I 12 , Al Mawali AH 13 , Al Maskari TS 14 , Alharbi RJ 15 , Hamza A 16 , Keblawi MA 16 , Hammoud M 17 , Elaidy AM 18 , Susanto AD 19 , Bahar Moni AS 20 , AlQurashi AA 21 , Ali A 22 , Wazib A 23 , Sanluang CS 3 , Elsori DH 24 , Yasmin F 25 , Taufik FF 19 , Al Kloub M 26 , Ruiz MG 14 , Elsayed M 27 , Eltewacy NK 28 , Al Laham N 29 , Oli N 30 , Abdelnaby R 31 , Dweik R 24 , Thongyu R 32 , Almustanyir S 33 , Rahman S 23 , Nitayawan S 3 , Al-Madhoun S 29 , Inthong S 3 , Alharbi TA 34 , Bahar T 35 , Ginting TT 36 , Cross WM 6

Affiliations 

  • 1 School of Health, Federation University Australia, Berwick, Victoria, Australia. [email protected]
  • 2 Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
  • 3 Faculty of Nursing, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
  • 4 Telstra Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
  • 5 Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
  • 6 School of Health, Federation University Australia, Berwick, Victoria, Australia
  • 7 The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
  • 8 Neurovascular Research Lab, Radiology Department, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
  • 9 The Nethersole School of Nursing, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong
  • 10 Psychiatric University Clinic Ulm, Ulm, Germany
  • 11 Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
  • 12 Department of Public Health, College of Public Health and Health Informatics, Qassim University, Al Bukairiyah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
  • 13 Ministry of Health, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
  • 14 Oman College of Health Sciences-South Sharquiya, Sur, Sultanate of Oman
  • 15 Department of Emergency Medical Service, Jazan University, Jazan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
  • 16 Faculty of Medicine, University of Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria
  • 17 Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Kuwait City, Kuwait
  • 18 Faculty of Medicine for Girls, Al-azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
  • 19 Department of Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
  • 20 Advanced Medical and Dental Institute, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
  • 21 King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
  • 22 Brega General Hospital, Brega, Libya
  • 23 Enam Medical College & Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh
  • 24 Abu Dhabi University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
  • 25 Lahore Garrison University, Lahore, Pakistan
  • 26 The Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan
  • 27 Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
  • 28 Faculty of Pharmacy, Beni-Suef University, Minia, Egypt
  • 29 Al Azhar University-Gaza, Gaza strip, Palestine
  • 30 Kathmandu Medical College, Kathmandu, Nepal
  • 31 Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
  • 32 Rangsit University, Pathum Thani, Thailand
  • 33 Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
  • 34 King Saud University Medical City, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
  • 35 National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh
  • 36 Psychiatric Medical Staff Group, Persahabatan General Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia
Global Health, 2021 10 01;17(1):117.
PMID: 34598720 DOI: 10.1186/s12992-021-00768-3

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The current pandemic of COVID-19 impacted the psychological wellbeing of populations globally.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to examine the extent and identify factors associated with psychological distress, fear of COVID-19 and coping.

METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study across 17 countries during Jun-2020 to Jan-2021. Levels of psychological distress (Kessler Psychological Distress Scale), fear of COVID-19 (Fear of COVID-19 Scale), and coping (Brief Resilient Coping Scale) were assessed.

RESULTS: A total of 8,559 people participated; mean age (±SD) was 33(±13) years, 64% were females and 40% self-identified as frontline workers. More than two-thirds (69%) experienced moderate-to-very high levels of psychological distress, which was 46% in Thailand and 91% in Egypt. A quarter (24%) had high levels of fear of COVID-19, which was as low as 9% in Libya and as high as 38% in Bangladesh. More than half (57%) exhibited medium to high resilient coping; the lowest prevalence (3%) was reported in Australia and the highest (72%) in Syria. Being female (AOR 1.31 [95% CIs 1.09-1.57]), perceived distress due to change of employment status (1.56 [1.29-1.90]), comorbidity with mental health conditions (3.02 [1.20-7.60]) were associated with higher levels of psychological distress and fear. Doctors had higher psychological distress (1.43 [1.04-1.97]), but low levels of fear of COVID-19 (0.55 [0.41-0.76]); nurses had medium to high resilient coping (1.30 [1.03-1.65]).

CONCLUSIONS: The extent of psychological distress, fear of COVID-19 and coping varied by country; however, we identified few higher risk groups who were more vulnerable than others. There is an urgent need to prioritise health and well-being of those people through well-designed intervention that may need to be tailored to meet country specific requirements.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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