A cross-sectional study of prevalence and predictors of psychological distress during COVID-19 pandemic among the Indian population

Abstract

Objective: To assess the prevalence of psychological distress and identify the predictors and factors associated with the distress during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic among the Indian population. Materials and methods: An online cross-sectional study with a semi-structured questionnaire was used to assess the psychological distress using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) among Indians. Descriptive statistics and the prevalence of psychological distress were calculated. A chi-square test was done to find the association between the independent variables and psychological distress. Factors that are significantly associated with psychological distress were further analysed using multiple logistic regression analysis to identify the predictors. Results: 846 responses were obtained with a mean age of 32 years (32.45 ± 11.44). 35% (n=290) had significant psychological distress with a mean GHQ-12 score of 2.37. Factors associated were age (p=0.002), family members having COVID-19 symptoms (p=0.017), lockdown distress (p=0.0001), source of health information (p=0.041), perception that information by social media increased fear (p=0.0001), the likelihood of family contracting COVID-19 (p=0.022), the pattern of food consumption (p=0.0001) and worry about financial burden during lockdown (p=0.0001). By logistic regression analysis, we found increased odds of developing psychological distress among the participants aged less than 40 years (OR=1.49, C.I=1-2.249,p=0.050); people who felt distressed due to the lockdown situation (OR= 2.31, C.I=1.694-3.162, p=0.0001); individuals whose fear increased due to social media information (OR=1.55, C.I= 1.144-2.113, p=0.005) and participants whose food pattern increased during the lockdown period (OR=1.41, C.I=1.035-1.923, p=0.029). Conclusion: Nearly a third of the participants were in a state of psychological distress which transcended topographical barriers with factors such as being less than 40 years of age, accessing health information through social media, a pattern of food consumption being increased and being in the lockdown situation as predictors of psychological distress.