Psychological Impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Brazilian Population: Occupational Analysis

Context and objectives: The unexpected pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) affected several activities and exposed workers, students and the large mass of unemployed people to an economic and psychological pressure that could lead to various problems, such as anxiety, fear, depression and insomnia, consequently causing impairment of quality of life. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted using the COVID-19 Peri-Traumatic Distress Index (CPDI) and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) to measure peri-traumatic stress and fear, such as psychological reactions during the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. An online spreadsheet was used as a data collection tool to send the questionnaire and scales to a sample of 1,844 participants. Data were analyzed in groups of health professionals, students and teachers, How to cite this paper: Teixeira, L.E.P.P., de Freitas, R.L., Abad, A., da Silva, J.A., Antonelli-Ponti, M., Mármora, C.H.C., Campos, L.A.M., Paiva, S., Bastos, S. and Da Silva, J.A. (2021) Psychological Impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Brazilian Population: Occupational Analysis. World Journal of Neuroscience, 11, 145-160. https://doi.org/10.4236/wjns.2021.112013 Received: April 13, 2021 Accepted: May 28, 2021 Published: May 31, 2021 L. E. P. P. Teixeira et al. DOI: 10.4236/wjns.2021.112013 146 World Journal of Neuroscience and an analysis was performed between unemployed and employed people in order to evaluate the impact of employment on the population’s mental health. Results: All groups presented from moderate to high CPDI and FCV-19S scores, and students and unemployed people had higher levels of stress and fear. Conclusion: COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the Brazilian population, with students and the unemployed showing the highest rates of stress and fear.