Prevalence of Anxiety, Depression, and Stress among Nepalese Youth Population during COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

The novel coronavirus presentsan unprecedented impact on physical as well as global public mental health. Younger people are vulnerable to negative psychological consequences during the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and stress among the younger Nepalese population during the COVID-19 pandemic.Furthermore, it aimed to examine sociodemographic predictors of anxiety, depression, and stress. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted through online platforms. Three hundred-one (301) participants of age group 16- 40 years filled the validated Anxiety, Depression, and Stress Scale (ADSS) form between 5th October 2020 to 5th December 2020.The total prevalence of anxiety, depression, and stress in our study population was 46.5%, 50.6%, and 56.2%, respectively. Anxiety, depression, and stress all were predominant among the age group of 16-24 years, female population, those living in rural areas, and respondents with undergraduate education levels. Moreover, depression was found to be higher among tribal ethnicity, married women, and respondents with the perceived defect. Binary logistic regression analysis showed females (odds ratio (OR)=1.64; 95% CI: 0.99-2.17) and undergraduate educationlevels(OR=4.246; 95% CI: 1.44-12.53) were independently associated with anxiety; tribal ethnicity respondents (OR=2.22; 95% CI: 1.31-3.74) showed higher rate of depression and the age group 16-24 years (OR=0.34; 95% CI: 0.12-0.95) were found to have increased stress level. The Nepalese youth population showed a high prevalence of anxiety, depression, and stress. These findings suggest that psychological support programs are needed urgently to promote the psychological well-being of Nepalese youth. Also, future longitudinal studies should be conducted with an adequate sample size to explore the long-term mental health impact of COVID-19 among the youth population.