ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic is a source of mental stress, particularly for special populations. The present study identified the associations between emotional distress and HIV status among adults in 152 countries during the first wave of the pandemic. This was a cross-sectional study that gathered data via an online survey carried out between July and December 2020. The dependent variable was emotional distress (frustration/boredom, anxiety, depression, loneliness, anger, or grief/feeling of loss), and the independent variable was HIV status (positive or negative). The confounding factors were sociodemographic variables (age, sex, education level, and employment status). Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the associations between the independent and dependent variables after adjusting for confounders. Of the 16,866 participants, 905 (5.4%) reported living with HIV. Of these, 188 (20.8%) felt frustrated/bored, 238 (26.3%) anxious, 160 (17.7%) depressed, 148 (16.4%) lonely, 84 (9.3%) angry, and 53 (5.9%) grief/a sense of loss. Individuals living with HIV had higher odds of feeling anxious (AOR:1.64), depressed (AOR:1.80), and lonely (AOR:1.35) when compared to people living without HIV. This study reveals that the COVID-19 pandemic can exacerbate emotional stress for those living with HIV, and the system in which COVID-19 impacts emotional health among different sociodemographic groups introduces further complexities regarding this observed effect.
ABSTRACT
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has created multiple mental health challenges. Many residents in South Africa face pre-existing elevated levels of stress and the pandemic may have had varying impacts on sub-populations. The aims of this study were to determine: 1) the factors associated with post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and 2) sex differences in the factors associated with PTSS in adults residing in South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Study participants aged 18 years and above, were recruited for this cross-sectional study through an online survey implemented from June 29, 2020 to December 31, 2020. The outcome variable was PTSS;explanatory variables were sex at birth, COVID-19 status, social isolation and access to emotional support. Confounders considered were age, education level completed and current work status. Logistic regressions were used to determine the association between the outcome and explanatory variables after adjusting for confounders. Outcomes: There were 489 respondents. Among all respondents, those who were older (AOR: 0.97;95% CI: 0.95 - 0.99) and had access to emotional support from family and relatives (AOR: 0.27;95% CI: 0.14 - 0.53) had significantly lower odds of PTSS. Respondents who felt socially isolated had higher odds of PTSS (AOR: 1.17;95% CI: 1.08 - 1.27). Females had higher PTSS scores and higher odds of PTSS compared to males (AOR: 2.18;95% CI: 1.41-3.39). Females (AOR: 0.27;95% CI: 0.08 - 0.95) and males (AOR: 0.26;95% CI: 0.11, 0.59) who had access to emotional support had significantly lower odds of PTSS than those who had no support. Females (AOR: 1.15;95% CI: 1.04 -1.27) and males (AOR: 1.19;95% CI: 0.11, 0.59) who felt socially isolated had higher odds of PTSS compared to those who did not feel socially isolated. Interpretation: Compared to males, females had higher scores and higher odds of reporting PTSS during the COVID- 19 pandemic. Access to emotional support ameliorated the odds of having PTSS for both sexes, while feeling socially isolated worsened the odds for both sexes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)