Anxiety and Depression Among Egyptians During the COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a multiplicity of pressures. Experiencing lockdown, self-isolation, and the loss of beloved ones are the main risk factors for the development of mental health disorders during the pandemic. In low- and middle-income countries, infection control precautions, surveillance databases, laboratory capacity, and public health funds are limited, so the psychological influences of the pandemic on the public can be even worse. Objective(s): This study was conducted to assess anxiety and depression among Egyptians during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Methods: A cross-sectional study using an e-survey distributed in May 2020 for the assessment of sociodemographic and occupational data and a validated Arabic questionnaire to assess depression by the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and anxiety by the General Anxiety Disorder questionnaire (GAD-7). Results: Five hundred and eighty-nine participants were included in the study, with a mean age of 28.3 ± 11.2 years. About 43.6% of the sample resided in the Suez Canal region, and about 58.6% were university students. Among the study population, 46.5% expressed moderate to severe anxiety and 64.3% expressed moderate to severe depression. The study demonstrated that all participants showed high frequencies of depression and anxiety regardless of variations in age, sex, educational level, occupation, or chronic diseases. Conclusion: Depression and anxiety rates during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown were higher than before the pandemic, so identification, social support, and early intervention are very important to prevent additional complications.

Keywords

• anxiety
• covid-19
• depression
• egypt