Study Findings:
Overall 18% of the total participant (1191) have shown “Moderately Severe” / “Severe Depression” symptoms on PHQ-9. While the GAD score of the same population validates these findings and shows 33% of the overall population have severe / moderately severe anxiety disorder.
Younger people aged between 18-24 and elderly people over 65 years of age have shown to have highest level of severe /moderately sever depression 19.6% and 37% respectively (PHQ-9). While the GAD-7 score validates PHQ-9 findings and shows shown 33% and 32% severe/moderately severe anxiety disorder respectively in these groups.
The students, Businessmen” and “Job Holders shows 27%, 19% and 16% score of “severe/ moderately sever” depression respectively on PHQ-9. While GAD score validates the finding and shows severe/moderately sever anxiety disorder in students, jobholder and businessmen as 40%, 31% and 21% anxiety disorder respectively.
Limitations: Both PHQ-9 and GAD have limitations in identifying the morbidity accurately. Accordingly by applying both PHQ 9 and GAD 7 we hoped to have a more robust understanding of the psychological impact of the current COVID crisis, lockdown as well as financial worries, which are inevitable in this context.
Conclusion: This study has indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown and social isolation have unfolded higher levels of public anxiety as well as dysphoric symptoms. The younger age group as well as the over 65’s were worst effected by lockdown and social isolation. However lockdown and impact on livelihoods, employment and economy could also contribute to this finding. This survey alerts us to these realities as consequences of states of prolonged emotional arousal and stress and need urgent attention and action to safeguard the health and safety of these groups of people. Health professionals working in the public, private as well as a voluntary sectors need to work collaboratively to develop a strategy to priorities the mental health and well-being needs of the population to mitigate the longer-term impact and psychological trauma which will be inevitable after this pandemic.