Psychological Distress among Bangladeshi Adults during the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

The world community including Bangladesh is doing its best to control COVID-19 but its effects on mental health are not being adequately addressed. This study aimed to investigate the psychological distress of COVID-19 among Bangladeshi adults. This cross-sectional study is conducted from 10 to 20 April, 2020, through an online survey and 320 samples were selected by simple random sampling. The frequency distribution revealed that 23.8 percent, 30.9 percent and 45.3 percent of the respondents were suffering from low, moderate, and high levels of psychological distress. Male, professions other than service and housewife, and large family size were the most influential predictors of psychological distress. This study revealed that the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was remarkably significant in Bangladesh and it might emerge as a serious public health concern. The country should prepare and realize guidelines for psychological crisis management in this regard.