The prevalence and correlates of anxiety and depression amongst essential workers during the COVID-19 lockdown in Ekiti State, Nigeria

Background: Essential workers are imperative in the fight against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Aim: To assess the prevalence and factors associated with anxiety and depression among essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. Setting: This study was set in Ekiti State, Nigeria. Method: This was a cross-sectional study involving essential workers in Ekiti State Nigeria, during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. A total of 588 essential workers were sampled. Online socio-demographic variables and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, a 14 item self-reported questionnaire were used. Results: The prevalence of anxiety and depression among the respondents was 93.4% (CI = 91.2­95.2) and 64.3% (CI = 60.4­68.4) respectively. Among the health workers, the prevalence of anxiety and depression were 96.5% (CI =94.8­98.1) and 66.5% (CI = 60.5­69.8) respectively while the prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms among non- health workers were 84.6% (CI = 78.7­90.1) and 61.5% (CI = 54.2­69.4) respectively. The odds ratio (OR) of depressive symptoms was increased among, respondents who were not satisfied with the support they received from the government during the pandemic (AOR = 2.071, CI = 1.350­2.213), respondents that were 35 years and younger (AOR = 1.512, CI = 1.033­2.213) and reduced amongst Christians (AOR = 0.501, CI = 0.286­0.879). The odd of anxiety was increased among health workers compared to non-health workers (AOR = 3.700, CI = 1.744­7.851) and the odds of anxiety was reduced among respondents with previous history of mental illness (AOR = 0.215, CI = 0.049­0.943). Conclusion: Anxiety and depressive symptoms were common mental illness among essential workers working during the COVID-19 lockdown, therefore their mental health should be adequately considered to sustain the fight against the virus.

The role of spirituality and religiosity in psychoactive substance use among adolescents in a Nigerian Hospital

Objective: Adolescence is a transition period where drug experimentation is common. Spirituality and religiosity have been recognized by literature as having a possible role in stabilizing good physical and mental health. To compare the religiosity and spirituality among adolescents abusing a psychoactive substance and those not abusing psychoactive substances in a Nigerian hospital Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted among adolescent patients admitted to the drug rehabilitation unit and adolescents attending the General Outpatient Department of the ABUAD Multisystem Hospital, Ado-Ekiti. The Daily Spiritual Experience Scale and Centrality of Religiosity Scale were used Results: The prevalence of high religiosity and spirituality among the respondents was 57.9% and 56.1%. The prevalence of high religiosity and spirituality among respondents not abusing psychoactive substances was 62.9% and 62.6% respectively, while the level of high spirituality and religiosity among respondents abusing psychoactive substances was 53.0% and 49.1% respectively. A significant proportion of the respondents who had a low level of religiosity (55.9%) abused psychoactive substances than respondents who do not abuse psychoactive substances (45.7%) (X2=7.694 p=0.006). Similarly, more proportion of respondents who had a low level of spirituality (57.4%) abused psychoactive substances than respondents who do not abuse psychoactive substances (44.2%). The observation is statistically significant (X2=11.1, p<0.001). In addition, there was a significant positive correlation between the spirituality and religiosity scores among the respondents (r =0.50, p<0.001) Conclusion: Psychoactive drug use among the respondent was associated with both low religiosity and spirituality. Therefore, religious activities should be encouraged among adolescents.