Prevalence of negative mental health status during COVID-19 pandemic among general population of seven Arab countries: A cross-sectional study of 28843 participants.

Background: Previous studies documented a narrow scope of knowledge about the negative mental health status during the lockdown following the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in Arab countries. Aim: We aimed to assess the association between negative mental health status and the COVID-19 pandemic and determine the different factors affecting mental health among the general population of seven Arab countries. Methods: This study is a multinational cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey conducted online from June 11, 2020 to June 25, 2020. The depression, anxiety, and stress Scale 21 Items (DASS-21) and the Event scale-Revised Arabic version (IES-R-13) scales were used. Multiple linear regressions were performed to study the association between the scales' total scores with COVID-19 and demographic characteristics. Results: A total of 28,843 participants from seven Arab countries were included. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the prevalence of mental health disorders has significantly increased. A total of 19006 participants (66%) were affected by variable degrees of depression, 13,688 (47%) had anxiety, and 14,374 (50%) had stress ranging from mild to severe. Higher levels were associated with other factors, such as lower age, female gender, chronic disease, unemployed, fear of getting infected, and a history of psychiatric disorders. Conclusion: Our study findings show an increased incidence of mental disorders during the pandemic. This is expected to play a crucial role in guiding a psychological support strategy provided by healthcare systems to the general public during pandemics.

Associations Between Mental Health and Oral Health in Saudi Arabia: An Online Survey-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

Background Mental disorders cause psychological stress and lead to poor lifestyle behaviors and an increased risk of poor oral health. This study aims to explore the potential association between mental illnesses with oral health and personal oral care in the Saudi population. Methodology Saudi Arabians aged ≥18 years were eligible to participate in this cross-sectional study. The study questionnaire had the following five sections: demographics, a brief depression severity measure (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), a brief generalized anxiety disorder measurement tool (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7), an oral health measurement tool, and personal oral health care. The data were analyzed using SPSS software version 26 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). The results were presented as numbers and (percentages) or mean and standard deviations (SD). Results This study included a total of 522 participants. The mean score for dental health and care was 4 (SD = 1.9) and 13.6 (SD = 1.9), respectively, reflecting a moderate level of dental health and positive dental care. Males had better oral health, whereas females had better dental care. A college degree or higher was linked to better dental care, and chronic diseases were linked to lower dental health scores. Minimal depression had a significantly higher dental care score than mild-to-severe depression. Depression and anxiety did not affect dental health. Conclusions This study showed that minimal depression was associated with a higher dental care score than mild-to-severe depression. However, the degree of depression was not associated with dental health. Furthermore, anxiety had no association with dental health or care.