The burden & contributing factors of psychological distress across India during the COVID pandemic

Panigrahi, Sasmita; Mohapatra, Sujata; Shetty, Asha P.; Baby, Renju Sussane; Singh, Arvind Kumar

The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic spread rapidly and engulfing the entire world, forcing people to stay home, muting the hustle and bustle of modern world with tide of fear for contracting disease and death. This brutal disease has infected millions of people worldwide, many lost their job, world economies have ravaged and many more uncountable consequences. OBJECTIVE: To assess the psychological distress due to COVID-19 outbreak and to determine contributing factors towards psychological distress. METHOD: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between 12th May-20th June 2020 & 1537 valid responses were received. Modified K10 scale was used to assess psychological distress. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to determine extent of relationship between the contributing factors and psychological distress scale by estimating the odds of having significant stress with P ≤ 0.05. RESULT: A total of 1537 valid responses were obtained. The overall psychological distress score was 19.79±6.75 which implies mild psychological distress. Analysis of degree of psychological distress revealed 815 (53.0%) with no psychological distress, 385 (25.0%) mild, 194 (12.6%) moderate and 143 respondents (9.3%) had severe degree of psychological distress. Females psychological distress was 1.448 times as compared to male (C.I 0.191-10.986). The odds of having significant psychological distress for above 60yrs as compared to 16-30years. Shop owner & business man had more stress in compared to professionals (OR 1.176, C.I 0.058-2.362). As compared to married, the psychological distress was 13.203 times higher among divorcee/separated (.786-221.787) and 3.629 times higher among unmarried (.376-35.054). CONCLUSION: This study showed 39.2% of the subject had psychological distress which is quite high. So, government and other policy makers has to develop strategy to relieve psychological distress among indian population.