Impact of COVID-19 on experiences of anxiety, depression, and coping ability in Oman

Abstract EN

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has severely disrupted the social and economic activities of the world as it forced most countries to lockdown with many consequences.

Objectives: The current study assessed the impact of lockdown on the experiences of stress, anxiety, depression, and coping ability in a cohort in Sohar, Sultanate of Oman.

Method: A cross sectional study involved 289 participants who completed a socio-demographic questionnaire along with the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the COPE Inventory.

Results: In total, 227 (78.5%) participants reported moderate to high levels of stress; 62 (21.4%) reported high anxiety; and 40 (13.8%) had moderate to severe depression.

Coping strategies were mean 65.1 ± 12.9.

the highest was acceptance (6.2 ± 1.6) followed by positive reframing, religion (5.8 ± 1.7).

Anxiety correlated with denial (r2.230, p .001) while depression was negatively correlated with active coping (r2-135, p.021).

Being a woman and single predicted anxiety.

Conclusion: There is high use of coping strategies which relatively mitigate the effects of stress.

Vulnerable groups should be offered support.