1. Psychological Distress in Quarantine Designated Facility During COVID-19 Pandemic in Saudi Arabia
- Author
-
Alkhamees,Abdulmajeed A, Aljohani,Moath S, Alghesen,Mohammed A, Alhabib,Ali T, Alkhamees,Abdulmajeed A, Aljohani,Moath S, Alghesen,Mohammed A, and Alhabib,Ali T
- Abstract
Abdulmajeed A Alkhamees,1 Moath S Aljohani,2 Mohammed A Alghesen,3 Ali T Alhabib4 1Department of Medicine, College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Mlida, Al Qassim, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Mlida, Al Qassim, Saudi Arabia; 3Psychiatry Mental Hospital, Ministry of Health, Buraydah, Al Qassim, Saudi Arabia; 4King Fahd Medical City Academy for Postgraduate Studies in Family Medicine, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Abdulmajeed A AlkhameesDepartment of Medicine, College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah, Al Qassim, Saudi ArabiaEmail a.alkhamees@qu.edu.saBackground: Quarantine is a useful measure for preventing and controlling pandemics; however, it might be stressful for quarantined individuals. Fear and anxiety about a disease can be overwhelming. These emotions were reported for individuals in involuntary quarantine facilities dedicated to quarantine purposes.Methods: This cross-sectional study surveyed the individuals in involuntary quarantine institutions (for a planned period of 14 days of quarantine) in two regions of Saudi Arabia. The mental health status of individuals was assessed using the Revised Impact of Event Scale (IES-R) and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21).Results: The study surveyed 214 quarantined/isolated individuals. The stress, anxiety, and depression rates were 25.7%, 21.5%, and 32.7%, respectively. On the IES-R, 28.0% of the participants met the criteria for psychological distress. Female gender, self-reported history of psychiatric disorder, and average health status were significantly associated with negative psychological impact and depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms (p< 0.05). Watching television was found to be a factor in reducing rates on the IES-R and DASS-21 scale while working out lowered rates on the IES-R alone (p< 0.05).Conclusion: Du
- Published
- 2020