ABSTRACT
Background: The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infection is primarily transmitted through respiratory droplets from an infected person and contact with tainted surfaces or items. Social distancing became the primary measure of preventing the spread of COVID-19, with the principal aim being to reduce the probability of contact with an already infected person. Social distancing can be distressing, as it is against the community's way of life. Saudi Arabia imposed a curfew and suspended all religious, entertainment, sporting, and mass congregations. The daily updates on COVID-19 infection and mortality are upsetting and further, aggravate depression and anxiety. With this background, this study was planned with the following objectives. To determine the sociodemographic profile of the study participants, to find the prevalence of psychological morbidity, and to measure the association between the sociodemographic details, COVID-19 associated factors, and psychological effects among Abha citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional community-based study was conducted in the Abha city population from August 2021 to July 22. This study followed snowball sampling, the data was collected using an online Google form the link was shared in WhatsApp groups and through emails to contacts, asking friends to share it with their friends, until reaching the adequate sample size the responses were accepted. Results: A total of 530 participated, and their age ranged from 19 -70 years. Many of the participants (34.5%, n=183) belonged to 36-45 years old. Most of the responders were 69.8% married and Females (69.2%, n=367). Half of the participants had been quarantined (49.6%), and 51.5% were scared from fear of COVID-19. 64.8% of the participants had depression; 14.2%, 20.8%, 13.6%, and 16.2% had mild, moderate, severe, and extremely severe depression, respectively. Around 58.2% of participants suffered from anxiety; 5.8% experienced mild anxiety, 21.7% moderate anxiety, and 30.7% severe anxiety. The proportion of stress among the participants was 45.0%; 10.8% had mild stress, 9.4% had moderate stress, and 24.5% had severe to extremely severe stress. Conclusions: COVID-19 poses mental health problems among individuals and communities. There is a need to find the more susceptible individuals for mental health issues or other psychological disorders. Mental health and psychological problems can be resolved with health education, counseling, and appropriate interventions to curb the negative health impacts of COVID-19.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Anxiety Disorders , Depressive Disorder , Sexual Dysfunctions, PsychologicalABSTRACT
Background: Sudan is a large country. It has a diverse economy, a large population, and a history of civil wars and conflicts. The poverty rate is high. With an estimated 50,000 TB incident cases, in the year 2009. Objectives: To study the epidemiology of TB, risk factors associated with the spread of the disease, and to evaluate the effectiveness of TB program interventions in EL-salam IDP camp in South Darfur state in Sudan from 2019 to 2022. Methodology: A cross-sectional, descriptive, community-based study with a cluster sample was used; pre and post-intervention study. There were 401 households chosen in the 1st study in which a survey was conducted at the start of the study as a baseline to measure tuberculosis epidemiology and the implementation of tuberculosis program interventions; After 6 months, the same study was repeated for case epidemiology (prevalence), in the sample were 398 households, Interventions include case detection and treatment. Community mobilization and education about tuberculosis through various means of community awareness, free diagnosis, and treatment. The questionnaire was designed and the mobile app kobo-toolbox was used to collect data before and after the intervention. SPSS was used to analyze the data. Result: In the first study, the prevalence of suspected TB cases was 52.9%(9/17 )of the suspected tuberculosis cases were sent for testing, 9 cases were positive in the camp, and the overall prevalence of positive tuberculosis in the camp was 2.2 % (9/401). In the first study, the prevalence of tuberculosis among people aged 30–39 years was 1.3% (5/401), and it was highest among females at 1.8% (7/401) and lower among males at 0.50% (2/401). Tuberculosis is prevalent among the uneducated at 1.00% (4/401). The prevalence of tuberculosis is higher among the increased number of people living in a room, with a statistically significant p-value of 0.000. The prevalence is also high among people who have never had an infection with TB; 2.00% (8/401), with a statistically significant p-value of 0.001. In the second study following the program interventions, the prevalence was zero. Although there was no significant change in other variables, the intervention was not well controlled or systematically managed due to the many challenges faced by the study, e.g., the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion: The study concluded that the prevalence of TB was 2.2% (9/401). The prevalence among suspected cases sent for testing was 52.9% (9/17). TB is also high in females at 1.8 % (7/401), compared with males at 0.50% (2/401). The study revealed that disease prevalence among the age group 30–39 years old is 1.3% (5/401). The spread of TB has been linked to a lack of education at 1.00% (4/401), overcrowding at 0.8% (3/401), and family income very low at less than 3 dollars at 46.1%( 184/401).