Escalating progression of mental health disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from a nationwide survey
Since the first nationwide movement control order was implemented on 18 March 2020 in Malaysia to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, to what extent the uncertainty and continuous containment measures have imposed psychological burdens on the population is unknown. This study a...
Saved in:
Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Published: |
Public Library of Science
2021
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://eprints.um.edu.my/34679/ |
Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
id |
my.um.eprints.34679 |
---|---|
record_format |
eprints |
spelling |
my.um.eprints.346792022-07-29T01:03:06Z http://eprints.um.edu.my/34679/ Escalating progression of mental health disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from a nationwide survey Wong, Li Ping Alias, Haridah Fuzi, Afiqah Alyaa Md Omar, Intan Sofia Mohamad Nor, Azmawaty Tan, Maw Pin Baranovich, Diana Lea Saari, Che Zarrina Hamzah, Sareena Hanim Cheong, Ku Wing Poon, Chiew Hwa Ramoo, Vimala Che, Chong Chin Myint, Kyaimon Zainuddin, Suria Chung, Ivy RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine Since the first nationwide movement control order was implemented on 18 March 2020 in Malaysia to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, to what extent the uncertainty and continuous containment measures have imposed psychological burdens on the population is unknown. This study aimed to measure the level of mental health of the Malaysian public approximately 2 months after the pandemic's onset. Between 12 May and 5 September 2020, an anonymous online survey was conducted. The target group included all members of the Malaysian population aged 18 years and above. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) was used to assess mental health. There were increased depressive, anxiety and stress symptoms throughout the study period, with the depression rates showing the greatest increase. During the end of the data collection period (4 August-5 September 2020), there were high percentages of reported depressive (59.2%) and anxiety (55.1%) symptoms compared with stress (30.6%) symptoms. Perceived health status was the strongest significant predictor for depressive and anxiety symptoms. Individuals with a poorer health perception had higher odds of developing depression (odds ratio OR] = 5.68; 95% confidence interval CI] 3.81-8.47) and anxiety (OR = 3.50; 95%CI 2.37-5.17) compared with those with a higher health perception. By demographics, young people-particularly students, females and people with poor financial conditions-were more vulnerable to mental health symptoms. These findings provide an urgent call for increased attention to detect and provide intervention strategies to combat the increasing rate of mental health problems in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Public Library of Science 2021-03-25 Article PeerReviewed Wong, Li Ping and Alias, Haridah and Fuzi, Afiqah Alyaa Md and Omar, Intan Sofia and Mohamad Nor, Azmawaty and Tan, Maw Pin and Baranovich, Diana Lea and Saari, Che Zarrina and Hamzah, Sareena Hanim and Cheong, Ku Wing and Poon, Chiew Hwa and Ramoo, Vimala and Che, Chong Chin and Myint, Kyaimon and Zainuddin, Suria and Chung, Ivy (2021) Escalating progression of mental health disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from a nationwide survey. PLoS ONE, 16 (3). ISSN 1932-6203, DOI https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0248916 <https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0248916>. 10.1371/journal.pone.0248916 |
institution |
Universiti Malaya |
building |
UM Library |
collection |
Institutional Repository |
continent |
Asia |
country |
Malaysia |
content_provider |
Universiti Malaya |
content_source |
UM Research Repository |
url_provider |
http://eprints.um.edu.my/ |
topic |
RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine |
spellingShingle |
RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine Wong, Li Ping Alias, Haridah Fuzi, Afiqah Alyaa Md Omar, Intan Sofia Mohamad Nor, Azmawaty Tan, Maw Pin Baranovich, Diana Lea Saari, Che Zarrina Hamzah, Sareena Hanim Cheong, Ku Wing Poon, Chiew Hwa Ramoo, Vimala Che, Chong Chin Myint, Kyaimon Zainuddin, Suria Chung, Ivy Escalating progression of mental health disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from a nationwide survey |
description |
Since the first nationwide movement control order was implemented on 18 March 2020 in Malaysia to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, to what extent the uncertainty and continuous containment measures have imposed psychological burdens on the population is unknown. This study aimed to measure the level of mental health of the Malaysian public approximately 2 months after the pandemic's onset. Between 12 May and 5 September 2020, an anonymous online survey was conducted. The target group included all members of the Malaysian population aged 18 years and above. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) was used to assess mental health. There were increased depressive, anxiety and stress symptoms throughout the study period, with the depression rates showing the greatest increase. During the end of the data collection period (4 August-5 September 2020), there were high percentages of reported depressive (59.2%) and anxiety (55.1%) symptoms compared with stress (30.6%) symptoms. Perceived health status was the strongest significant predictor for depressive and anxiety symptoms. Individuals with a poorer health perception had higher odds of developing depression (odds ratio OR] = 5.68; 95% confidence interval CI] 3.81-8.47) and anxiety (OR = 3.50; 95%CI 2.37-5.17) compared with those with a higher health perception. By demographics, young people-particularly students, females and people with poor financial conditions-were more vulnerable to mental health symptoms. These findings provide an urgent call for increased attention to detect and provide intervention strategies to combat the increasing rate of mental health problems in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. |
format |
Article |
author |
Wong, Li Ping Alias, Haridah Fuzi, Afiqah Alyaa Md Omar, Intan Sofia Mohamad Nor, Azmawaty Tan, Maw Pin Baranovich, Diana Lea Saari, Che Zarrina Hamzah, Sareena Hanim Cheong, Ku Wing Poon, Chiew Hwa Ramoo, Vimala Che, Chong Chin Myint, Kyaimon Zainuddin, Suria Chung, Ivy |
author_facet |
Wong, Li Ping Alias, Haridah Fuzi, Afiqah Alyaa Md Omar, Intan Sofia Mohamad Nor, Azmawaty Tan, Maw Pin Baranovich, Diana Lea Saari, Che Zarrina Hamzah, Sareena Hanim Cheong, Ku Wing Poon, Chiew Hwa Ramoo, Vimala Che, Chong Chin Myint, Kyaimon Zainuddin, Suria Chung, Ivy |
author_sort |
Wong, Li Ping |
title |
Escalating progression of mental health disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from a nationwide survey |
title_short |
Escalating progression of mental health disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from a nationwide survey |
title_full |
Escalating progression of mental health disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from a nationwide survey |
title_fullStr |
Escalating progression of mental health disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from a nationwide survey |
title_full_unstemmed |
Escalating progression of mental health disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from a nationwide survey |
title_sort |
escalating progression of mental health disorders during the covid-19 pandemic: evidence from a nationwide survey |
publisher |
Public Library of Science |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
http://eprints.um.edu.my/34679/ |
_version_ |
1739828488859287552 |
score |
13.18916 |