This study examines the mental health outcomes among the healthcare personnel and the general population and the role of socioeconomic status. Eight hundred and eightyfour (884) residents in Nigeria comprising 382 healthcare personnel and 502 general residents aged between 18 to 78 years (M = 28.75, SD = 8.17) responded to an online survey with measures of Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and Insomnia Severity Index. Collected data were subjected to statistical analysis using the SPSS v.25. Results revealed significant difference in the prevalence of depressive symptoms (χ 2 = 14.26; df = 4; p < 0.01), insomnia symptoms (χ 2 = 40.21; df = 3; p < 0.01), posttraumatic stress symptoms (χ 2 = 08.34; df = 3; p < 0.05), and clinical anxiety symptoms (χ 2 = 06.71; df = 1; p < 0.05) among healthcare personnel and the general population, with a higher prevalence reported by the healthcare personnel. Further, socioeconomic status significantly influences prevalence of depressive symptoms (χ 2 = 04.5; df = 4; p < 0.05). The study concluded that the prevalence of poor mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 crisis among Nigerians is worrisome. Also, the socioeconomic status of the citizens has serious implications on depressive symptoms. The study recommends that the government and stakeholders should pay attention to policy that will favor tele-mental health services and adequate palliative measures to cushion the psycho-economic impacts of COVID-19 on residents. Also, healthcare workers should be considered for better remuneration and other welfare benefits to sustain their well-being during the present and future pandemic.

This study examine the psychological distress experience of Nigerians during the COVID-19 pandemic, across gender. From March 20, 2020, to April 12, 2020, this descriptive survey used a snowballing sampling technique to select 502-Nigerians with an online semi-structured questionnaire detailing the impact of Event Scale-Revised, Generalized Anxiety Disorder – 7 item scale, Patient Health Questionnaire and Insomnia Severity Index. Gender had an insignificant difference in the level of insomnia ( χ 2 ​= ​04.93; df ​= ​3; p ​> ​0.05), however, 20.8% of males had sub-threshold of insomnia, 8.2% experienced moderate insomnia and 5.9% had severe insomnia; 32% females reported sub-threshold of insomnia, 12.4% had moderate insomnia while 3.6% had severe insomnia. Also, gender had an insignificant difference in the measures of depression ( χ 2 ​= ​01.94; df ​= ​4; p ​> ​0.05); 55.4% males reported minimal depression, 22.3% had mild depression, 11.9% had moderate depression; 6.7%–3.7% males had moderate to severe depression while, 49.3% of the females had minimal depression, 26.7% reported mild depression, 14.29% had moderate depression, 4.4%–5.3% had moderate to severe depressive symptoms. Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS) has no gender difference among respondents ( χ 2 ​= ​02.51; df ​= ​3; p ​> ​0.05); 23% of males reported partial PTSS, 17.5% presented clinical PTSS, and 21.6% males had severe PTSS; while 29.3% of females had severe PTSS, 24% reported partial PTSS and 18.7% had clinical PTSS. Respondents reported insignificant gender differences on anxiety ( χ 2 ​= ​0.08; df ​= ​1; p ​> ​0.05), while 51% reported moderate anxiety and 49% exhibited severe anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. Findings revealed that Nigerians experienced psychological distress during COVID-19 pandemic. The government and stakeholders should initiate tele-mental health services to serve as alternative to traditional treatment to manage present and future pandemic psychological implications among Nigerians.

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This study examined the psychological distress experience of Nigerians amid COVID-19 pandemic. From March 20, 2020 to April 12, 2020, this descriptive survey used a snowballing sampling technique to select 502-Nigerian with an online semi-structured questionnaire containing Impact of Event Scale-Revised, GAD-7, Patient Health Questionnaire and Insomnia Severity Index. Gender had insignificant difference in the level of insomnia (χ2=04.93; df=3; p&gt;0.05), however, 20.8% of males had sub-threshold of insomnia, 8.2% experienced moderate insomnia and 5.9% had severe insomnia; 32% females reported sub-threshold of insomnia, 12.4% had moderate insomnia while, 3.6% had severe insomnia. Also, gender had insignificant difference in the measures of depression (χ2=01.94; df=4; p&gt;0.05); 55.4% males reported minimal depression, 22.3% had mild depression, 11.9% had moderate depression; 6.7% to 3.7% males had moderately to severe depression while, 49.3% of the females had minimal depression, 26.7% reported mild depression, 14.29% had moderate depression, 4.4% to 5.3% had moderately to severe depressive symptoms. Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS) has no gender difference among respondents (χ2=02.51; df =3; p&gt;0.05); 23% of males reported partial PTSS, 17.5% presented clinical PTSS, and 21.6% males had severe PTSS; while 29.3% of females had severe PTSS, 24% reported partial PTSS and 18.7% had clinical PTSS. Respondents reported insignificant gender difference on anxiety (χ2=0.08; df=1; p&gt;0.05), while 51% reported moderate anxiety and 49% exhibited severe anxiety during COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. Findings revealed that Nigerians experienced psychological distress during COVID-19 pandemic. Government and stakeholders in health sectors should provide psychological health services for the residents in Nigeria.

Globally, there are overwhelming evidence on the increasing spate of domestic violence among couples during the coronavirus lockdown. However, there are limited empirical studies that have explored the role of socioeconomic distress on spousal violence occurrence during the enforced lockdown in Nigeria. This study investigated how contextual, socio-demographic factors, economic distress interplay with spousal violence (SV) during enforced lockdown due to COVID-19. A web-based cross-sectional study utilizing snowballing sampling technique was adopted. Participants were recruited via social media platform, Facebook and WhatsApp using google form from March 3 to April 4, 2020. 356 participants (141 males and 215 females) responded to questionnaire containing socioeconomic, demographic information and Composite Abuse Scale (CAS); which was used to assess spousal violence. Result showed that living conditions of couples, income status and job status had significant influence on SV. However, gender, religion affiliation, type of family, and spouse’s tribal affiliation had no significant influence on SV. The study concluded that contextual factors and socioeconomic distress exert significant implications on spousal violence. It was recommended that government at all levels should be objective in the distribution of palliative measures to combat socio-contextual and economic distress among residents to achieve a spousal violence free society among Nigerians during and in future pandemic lockdown.