The Psychological Impact of COVID-19 on the General Population in Morocco

Abstract

Introduction: Currently, we are going through an exceptional sanitary crisis due to the appearance of SARS-COV2, the containment being an act of social distancing is taken as a preventive measure to decrease the spread of the virus. It is undeniable that the COVID-19 pandemic affects not only physical health but also mental health and well-being. The objective of our study is to evaluate the impact of the virus in the general population in Morocco, including stress and sleep disorders. Methodology: To develop this work, we used an anonymous questionnaire based on, in addition to individual status and conditions, scales assessing stress and sleep. The PSS-10 (Cohen's Perceived Stress Scale) for perceived stress and ISI (C. Morin's Insomnia Severity Index) for sleep disorders were chosen. Results: We collected 1240 participants, the median age of our participants is 29 years (25-34), with a female predominance of 89.5%. Most of our participants at this stage would have already known someone who had not already contracted the virus with a percentage of 71.7%. Regarding the evaluation of perceived stress, 66% had moderate stress, 16% had mild stress and 13.70% had severe stress. For sleep, 34.7% would have had mild insomnia, 32.3% moderate insomnia, 9% severe insomnia and 24% would not have had insomnia. Female gender, being divorced, living in a rural area, and knowing someone close to you who has had the virus were found to be factors influencing perceived stress. For insomnia, being 18 to 29 years old and female increases the risk of insomnia. Conclusion: The assessment of perceived stress and sleep disturbances concluded that there was a clear impact of the pandemic on the lives of the general population in Morocco.