Assessment of Psychological Stress Associated with COVID-19 Lockdown in the Urban Adult Population of India
Kayalvizhi Kumaravel1, Praveen Kumar Ratavaru Sathyam2, Rejili Grace Joy Manickaraj1, Poonguzhali Sivagananam3, Divya Ravikumar4, Sumetha Suga Deiva Suga5, Vahitha Mala Kunasekaran6, Mythili Krishnan6, Poongodi Chellapandian7, Vasantha Priya Jeyasheelan3, Savithri Kanganda Bopaiah3, Kavin Mozhi James3, Pandian Balu3, Udaya Kumari Meesala Chelladurai3, Narmatha Sundharesan8, Pramanya Balasubramanyam8
, Vishnu Priya Veeraraghavan9, Malathi Kullappan10 , Jenifer M Ambrose10 and Surapaneni Krishna Mohan11*1Department of Mental Health Nursing, Panimalar College of Nursing, Varadharajapuram, Poonamallee, Chennai – 600 123, Tamil Nadu, India.
2Department of Psychiatry, Panimalar Medical College Hospital and Research Institute, Varadharajapuram, Poonamallee, Chennai – 600 123, Tamil Nadu, India.
3Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, Panimalar College of Nursing, Varadharajapuram, Poonamallee, Chennai – 600 123, Tamil Nadu, India.
4Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Panimalar Medical College Hospital and Research Institute, Varadharajapuram, Poonamallee, Chennai – 600 123, Tamil Nadu, India.
5Department of Microbiology, Panimalar Medical College Hospital and Research Institute, Varadharajapuram, Poonamallee, Chennai – 600 123, Tamil Nadu, India.
6Department of Community Health Nursing, Panimalar College of Nursing, Varadharajapuram, Poonamallee, Chennai – 600 123, Tamil Nadu, India.
7Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecological Nursing, Panimalar College of Nursing, Varadharajapuram, Poonamallee, Chennai – 600 123, Tamil Nadu, India.
8Department of Child Health Nursing, Panimalar College of Nursing, Varadharajapuram, Poonamallee, Chennai – 600 123, Tamil Nadu, India.
8Department of Transfusion Medicine, Panimalar Medical College Hospital and Research Institute, Varadharajapuram, Poonamallee, Chennai – 600 123, Tamil Nadu, India.
9Department of Biochemistry, Saveetha Dental College and Hospital, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS), Saveetha University, Velappanchavadi, Chennai – 600 077, Tamil Nadu, India.
10Department of Research, Panimalar Medical College Hospital and Research Institute, Varadharajapuram, Poonamallee, Chennai - 600 123, India.
11Departments of Biochemistry, Molecular Virology, Clinical Skills and Simulation and Research, Panimalar Medical College Hospital and Research Institute, Varadharajapuram, Poonamallee, Chennai – 600 123, Tamil Nadu, India.
Corresponding Author E-mail: krishnamohan.surapaneni@gmail.com
Abstract: Background: COVID-19, the unprecedented deadly pandemic has turned the world topsy-turvy. It has affected all the people like poor and rich, young and old, educated and uneducated, male and female with detrimental consequences. People who are in quarantine and/or lockdown are likely to develop a wide range of symptoms like psychological stress, irritability, anxiety, depression etc. Hence, this study was undertaken to assess the psychological effects of COVID-19 lockdown among adult population residing in Chennai, India. This study is a cross sectional descriptive study carried out in Chennai, India. A structured questionnaire was developed containing 25 questions related to the emotional disturbance, depression, self-concept, physical problems, cognitive changes and role performance and 7 questions related to the demographics. An online survey was conducted using a structured questionnaire using a non-probability snowball sampling technique. A total of 579 responses were received. The findings of the present study revealed that, among 579 respondents, more than half of the respondents 320(56.3%)were under severe psychological stress, 192(33.2%) respondents that is one third of the people had moderate psychological stress and remaining were having mild psychological stress. The study also revealed that there was a statistically significant association of psychological problems associated with demographic variables. Our Study revealed that people living in Chennai had severe psychological problem due to theCOVID-19 lockdown. This highlights the importance and immediate need for the development special intervention programmes for the people with psychological problems due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
Keywords: COVID-19; Lockdown; Psychological Problem; Pandemic; Stress Back to TOC