COVID-19 pandemic and mental health in Lebanon: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Objectives

To evaluate depression, stress, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive behaviours in the Lebanese population in response to COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted between March and April 2020 on 386 participants randomly recruited from Lebanese general population.

Results

Following the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic in Lebanon compared to was not significantly associated with higher stress, higher depression, lower obsessive-compulsive traits, higher anxiety. Moreover, higher compulsion (Beta = 0.092), having a university level of education (Beta = 0.573), intermediate income (Beta = 1.889), following the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic in Lebanon all of the time (Beta = 7.064), most of the time (Beta = 5.592), sometimes (Beta = 4.235) and little of the time (Beta = 7.676) were significantly associated with a higher hygienic prevention practices score. Higher age (Beta = –0.051), being a male (Beta = –1.432), higher depression (Beta = –0.083) and practicing religion some of the time (Beta = –0.826) were significantly associated with a lower hygienic prevention practices score.

Conclusion

This study found a strong interrelationship between psychological stress, depression, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive traits during the COVID-19 pandemic and identified the most vulnerable sub-groups in the Lebanese population. Additional measures should be deployed by health authorities in Lebanon and worldwide to face the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on mental health.

Key points

• Following the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic in Lebanon compared to not was significantly associated with higher stress, higher depression, lower obsessive-compulsive disorder, higher anxiety.

• Higher compulsion, having a university level of education, following the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic in Lebanon were significantly associated with a higher hygienic prevention practices score.

• Higher depression, male gender, and practicing religion some of the time were significantly associated with a lower hygienic prevention practices score.

• Additional measures should be deployed by health authorities in Lebanon and worldwide to face the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on mental health.

Keywords:

• Depression
• anxiety
• obsession
• compulsion
• Covid-19 pandemic
• mental health

Acknowledgement

The authors thank all responders who agreed to participate in this study.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

The Holy Spirit University of Kaslik – School of Medicine and Medical Sciences ethics committee approved the study protocol. A written consent was obtained from each participant.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Author contributions

REO, ET, REO were responsible for the data collection and entry and drafted the manuscript. SH, CH and SO designed the study; SH carried out the analysis and interpreted the results; RH assisted in drafting and reviewing the manuscript; All authors reviewed the final manuscript and gave their consent; SO, CH, SH and RH were the project supervisors.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

All data generated or analysed during this study are not publicly available to maintain the privacy of the individuals’ identities. The dataset supporting the conclusions is available upon request to the corresponding author.