Psychological Disorders among Adult Population during COVID-19 Pandemic in Mehrauli, Delhi

Abstract

Background: Viruses have proven to be Earth’s most lethal micro-organisms. Following the COVID-19 blowout, thousands of people lost their lives or fell victim to critical illnesses which ultimately disturbed various aspects of healthcare. Mental health issues were one of the major concerns during this difficult time. Most of the studies focussed on the treatment aspect of COVID-19 while few studies focussed on psychological health. Hence, this study assessed major psychological disorders (depression, anxiety and stress) among adults during COVID-19 pandemic in Mehrauli, Delhi. Materials and methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from the month of January 2021 to June 2022 among adults (18–60 years) in Mehrauli, Delhi. A written informed consent was taken from the study subjects. A semi-structured, self-designed interview schedule was used to collect information from the study subjects. DASS-21 questionnaire was used to assess the subjects’ psychological disorders.

Results: Prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress among the study participants were found to be31.2%, 32.7% and 19.4%, respectively. A higher prevalence of moderate to extremely severe psychological disorders compared to mild ones was found among participants. Men exhibited a greater prevalence of psychological disorders, notably mild depression, with a clear gender association.