Depression, Anxiety, and Stress with and without COVID-19 Infection

Objectives Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) affects the respiratory system predominantly. However, post-COVID recovery, many manifested neurological and psychological symptoms, unrelated to the respiratory system. We aimed to estimate psychological impairment in individuals who were infected with COVID-19 in comparison with two uninfected control groups, and between different age cohorts.Materials and Methods We compared three groups with respect to COVID-19-those infected, those not infected but witness to someone infected, and those neither infected nor witness to anyone infected, along with age cohort comparison. The standard Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale - 42 items (DASS 42) questionnaire, with additional questions were answered by 301 participants.Statistical Analysis SPSS was used for analyses, with Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and Tukey's post hoc test.Results Significantly higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress were found in the infected group than in the uninfected groups, and significant difference was found between the older age cohorts (50 and above) of each group. The percentages of the infected group with severe to very severe depression, anxiety, and stress were higher than the other groups.Conclusion There is greater psychological impairment in individuals post-COVID recovery, and there is higher impairment in the older age cohort that is recovered, compared to controls.

PANDEMIC-INDUCED CRISES IN TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY – AN INDIAN CONTEXT

This paper aims to examine the pandemic-induced crises psychological and physical distress experienced by the employees during the Covid19 pandemic and the implications on job loss and job characteristics from all domains of the hospitality industry in India. The study is designed to explore the pandemic-induced tourism crisis along with emotional, mental, and physical effects. An in-depth qualitative exploration was used and a tool comprising of data sets include representatives from aviation, resorts and hotel segments, tour operators, and travel agents. The researchers used a semi-structured questionnaire that had two sections and explored industry concerns, HR strategies, and employee distress through a multi-stage process involving coding and content analysis. The study analyzed the pandemic-induced crises at the micro and macro levels and grouped them under three essential dimensions such as;organizational and industry concerns, organizational HR policies, and employees’ psychological distress. The subthemes under these dimensions can contribute to scale validation. The subthemes grouped under the three major dimensions have come out as a theoretical model of how the pandemic has affected professionals at these three levels. The findings as items can be validated through descriptive research in quantitative terms forming the future scope. The study analyzed the perceptions of professionals in the tourism and hospitality business amid the pandemic and concludes that a proactive HR policy can minimize employees’ psychological distress. © 2022 Editura Universitatii din Oradea. All rights reserved.