Anxiety among the general population during Coronavirus-19 Disease in Saudi Arabia: Implications for a Mental Support Program

Alkwiese, M.; Alsaqri, S. H.; Aldalaykeh, M.; Hamzi, M.; Mahdi, M.; Shafie, Z.

Background: The 2019 outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an worldwide health emergency that threatens mental health of general public. Research data are required to establish evidence-based approaches to alleviate the symptoms of anxiety during the outbreak. This study aimed to survey the general public in Saudi Arabia to help in understanding their levels of anxiety during the COVID-19 outbreak. Methods: The researchers performed an on-line survey using snowball sampling methods from April 1 through April 10, 2020. The online survey collected demographics information data, while the Social Anxiety Questionnaire for Adults (SAQ-A30) was used to measure anxiety level. Results: This study consisted of 709 respondents from different regions of Saudi Arabia. The general population reported mild to moderate rates of anxiety. Married respondents were associated with a significantly higher level of anxiety (p<0.05). Conclusions: The respondents reported mild to moderate anxiety during the outbreak of COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia. Implication for practice: The results of this study identify the implications to lower levels of anxiety that may be used during the COVID-19 outbreak to develop mental health support programs to improve the mental health of vulnerable groups.