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. 2020 Dec 9;17(24):9183.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph17249183.

Prevalence of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress among the General Population in Saudi Arabia during Covid-19 Pandemic

Hasan Saeed Alamri  1 , Abdullah Algarni  2 , Shehata F Shehata  3   4 , Ali Al Bshabshe  1 , Nada N Alshehri  1 , Abdalla M ALAsiri  2 , Amjad H Hussain  5 , Abdulrahman Y Alalmay  5 , Eman A Alshehri  2 , Yahya Alqarni  6 , Norah F Saleh  2
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Free PMC article

Prevalence of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress among the General Population in Saudi Arabia during Covid-19 Pandemic

Hasan Saeed Alamri et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .
Free PMC article

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a significant impact on public mental health. Our objective was to assess prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress among the general population in Saudi Arabia during this pandemic. A descriptive cross-sectional approach was used targeting all accessible populations in Saudi Arabia. Data were collected from participants using an electronic pre-structured questionnaire. Psychological impact was assessed using the Arabic version of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). A total of 1597 participants completed the survey. In total, 17.1% reported moderate to severe depressive symptoms; 10% reported moderate to severe anxiety symptoms; and 12% reported moderate to severe stress levels. Depression, anxiety, and stress were significantly higher among females, younger respondents, and health care providers. Depression was higher among smokers, singles, and non-working respondents. Anxiety was higher among those reporting contacts with COVID-19 positive cases, previously quarantined and those with chronic health problems. Our findings reaffirm the importance of providing appropriate knowledge and specialized interventions to promote the mental well-being of the Saudi population, paying particular attention to high-risk groups.

Keywords: DASS-21; coronavirus; psychological.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Distribution of psychological health parameters among general population in Saudi Arabia during COVID-19 pandemic, 2020.
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