Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on mental health status of the general population of Andhra Pradesh, India

ABSTRACT Background: The widespread outbreaks of COVID-19 are associated with psychological distress and symptoms of mental illness among the population. People are undergoing through tremendous fear and stress due to this crisis situation. The aim of this study is to see the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health status of the general population of India. Materials and Methods: The present study is cross-sectional study conducted in Andhra Pradesh. The DASS-21 scale was used to assess the psychological impact in the study population. A Google form containing a study questionnaire was sent to 400 participants. A snowball technique was used to collect the data. The collected data were analyzed by using SPSS V23. Descriptive statistics represented with percentages. The Chi-square test was applied to find associations. A value of P < 0.05 was considered as significant. Results: Among 400 participants, 25% were suffering from depression, 30% were having anxiety, and 13% subjects were having stress ranging between mild and extremely severe. The depression, anxiety, and stress were more prevalent in the age group 51–60 years. The psychological impact was higher in male and married participants. The subjects with chronic disease were showing higher level of depression and stress. Conclusion: The present study reported that COVID-19 pandemic has significant impact on mental health of the people.