Psychological distress and its risk factors during COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background The control measures during COVID-19 such as curfew, lockdown, and social distancing had observed differences in controlling the spread of the disease around the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; however, they might contribute to psychological illnesses such as anxiety, depression, panic disorder, and distress. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted to assess psychological distress and the factors affecting it among general population in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results Seven hundred and thirty-nine people completed an online questionnaire which included the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10). Psychological distress was found among 35% of the study sample. Western and northern regions reported higher rates of distress. In addition, higher rates were found among younger and unmarried individuals. Distress was significantly positively correlated with perceptions of susceptibility and severity of COVID-19 infection, and the fear to lose a job as a result of the pandemic and the related precautions. Conclusion Psychological support programs should be provided targeting high-risk groups of younger and unmarried population. Further research should be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of psychological support interventions.

Assessment of Psychological Distress and Associated Factors among Hospitalized Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic at Selected Hospitals in Southwest Ethiopia

“…The prevalence in the current study is comparable with a Chinese study, which found 54%, 16 and higher than studies from Italy and Saudi Arabiac, which were 38% and 35%, respectively. 24,25 The higher prevalence in our study could be attributed to differences in study populations: the Italian and Saudi Arabian studies were conducted among the general population, but ours was conducted among hospitalized patients. The variation might also be related to differences in the health-care structures anddelivery systems.…”

“…Univariate logistic regression analysis of education status, living in an urban setting, female sex, marital status, perceived life threat, history of mental illness, childhood trauma, current alcohol use, poor social support, current khat use, and current cigarette use yielded P<0. 25. As such, these variables fulfilled the minimum requirement for multivariate binary logistic regression analysis (Table 4).…”

The impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the development of obsessive-compulsive symptoms in Saudi Arabia

“…4,5,27,29 In this study, we found that being single is correlated with higher levels of stress, which is similar to earlier studies that reported a higher level of stress, anxiety and depression among singles during the pandemic in Saudi Arabia. 4,30 It was also evident that being single is a risk factor for distress, anxiety and depression in a metaanalysis conducted during the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak. 31 In addition, it was found that having children was associated with lower levels of perceived stress.…”

COVID-19 related psychological distress and fears among mothers and pregnant women in Saudi Arabia

“…However, one study in Saudi Arabia indicated that the prevalence rates of depression and general anxiety during the COVID-19 period were higher than the rates prior to the pandemic [ 10 ]. Furthermore, two studies conducted during the pandemic found that women in general had higher psychological distress than men in Saudi Arabia [ 11 , 12 ]. Therefore, our intention was to quantify levels of psychological distress among mothers and expectant mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic as a baseline reference for future research.…”