Pschycological Impact of Covid-19 Globally: A Multicentric Study

Abstract

Background: COVID-19 has spread all over the world and is listed as a pandemic by the World Health Organization. It started surfacing in China in November 2019 and has been on the rise in all major parts of the world. On 30th January, 2020, the first case of coronavirus pandemic in India was reported. During such state, citizens must stay confined at home with few justified exceptions. This whole situation drastically changed the life of the population, which can cause a wide range of psychosocial impacts. The main aim of the study was to assess psychological impact of covid-19 globally Method: Cross-sectional, observational, web-based survey conducted during the peak of the pandemic to assess psychological impact of COVID-19 globally. By using Google forms, an online structured questionnaire with annexed informed consent form was developed. The survey link was generated and was sent through online platforms like WhatsApp, e-mails and Facebook to the contacts of the investigators. Chi square test and multiple logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the data. Result: The study population comprised total 839 participants including 345 (41.1%) males and 494 (58.9%) females. In this study, we found that about one fourth of participants around the globe showed moderate psychological stress, and about 45.7% participants showed high psychological stress. We also found that females, who were younger and unmarried showed high psychological stress. Conclusion: Individuals who were younger, female or unmarried, were more vulnerable to psychological distress. The covid-19 pandemic had negative psychological effects globally.