Depression and Generalized Anxiety as Long-Term Mental Health Consequences of COVID-19 in Iraqi Kurdistan

Perjan Taha (), Arazoo Tahir, Fatima Ahmed, Runak Radha, Ari Taha and Shameran Slewa-Younan
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Perjan Taha: Psychiatry Unit, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Duhok, Duhok 42001, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
Arazoo Tahir: Community Health, Public Health Department, College of Health and Medical Technology, Shekhan, Duhok Polytechnic University, Duhok 42001, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
Fatima Ahmed: Clinical Biochemistry, Medical Laboratory Technology Department, College of Health and Medical Technology, Shekhan, Duhok Polytechnic University, Duhok 42001, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
Runak Radha: Biology Department, Shorsh General Hospital, Sulaymaniyah Governorate, Sulaymaniyah 46001, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
Ari Taha: Cardiac Center, Erbil, Erbil Governorate, Erbil 44001, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
Shameran Slewa-Younan: Translational Health Research Institute, School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 1797, Australia

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 13, 1-13

Abstract: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been associated with a variety of psychiatric symptoms. However, COVID-19’s association with psychiatric symptoms after the acute illness phase is not fully understood. Thus, this study sought to examine symptoms of depression and generalized anxiety and associated factors in the period following COVID-19 infection. A cross-sectional study design was conducted in three governorates of the Iraqi Kurdistan region. Face-to-face interviews were held between the period of 15 September and 20 December 2021 with both those who had been infected with COVID-19 and those who had not. Depression symptomology was assessed using the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire and levels of anxiety were measured using the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale. A total of 727 participants were recruited. The bulk of the respondents ( n = 454) reported having a past COVID-19 infection, of whom a considerable proportion (82%) had mild–moderate symptoms. More than half of the infected respondents (53.3%) stated they were treated at home. The mean score of generalized anxiety was higher among the infected group compared to the non-infected group t(725) = 2.538, p = 0.011. Factors such as older age, female gender, unemployment, previous psychological problems, and diabetes mellitus were strongly associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety post-COVID-19 infection. Additionally, anxiety was associated with a longer duration of post-COVID symptoms. The majority of the study population had mild to moderate levels of post-COVID-19 depression and anxiety. Psychological education and interventions are required to reduce the psychological burden of post-COVID-19 symptoms among the general population.

Keywords: depression; generalized anxiety; post-COVID-19 symptoms; Iraqi Kurdistan (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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