COVID-19 Pandemic Fatigue and Its Sociodemographic, Mental Health Status, and Perceived Causes: A Cross-Sectional Study Nearing the Transition to an Endemic Phase in Malaysia

Mohd Radzniwan Abdul Rashid (), Sharifah Najwa Syed Mohamad, Ahmad Izzat Ahmad Tajjudin, Nuruliza Roslan, Aida Jaffar, Fathima Begum Syed Mohideen, Faizul Helmi Addnan, Nizam Baharom and Muslimah Ithnin
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Mohd Radzniwan Abdul Rashid: Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Nilai 71800, Malaysia
Sharifah Najwa Syed Mohamad: Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Nilai 71800, Malaysia
Ahmad Izzat Ahmad Tajjudin: Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Nilai 71800, Malaysia
Nuruliza Roslan: Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Nilai 71800, Malaysia
Aida Jaffar: Faculty of Medicine and Defence Health, Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia, Sungai Besi, Kuala Lumpur 57000, Malaysia
Fathima Begum Syed Mohideen: Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Nilai 71800, Malaysia
Faizul Helmi Addnan: Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Nilai 71800, Malaysia
Nizam Baharom: Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Nilai 71800, Malaysia
Muslimah Ithnin: Corporate Communications Unit, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Putrajaya 62000, Malaysia

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 5, 1-18

Abstract: This study aimed to explore the socio-demographic characteristics, mental health status, and perceived causes of pandemic fatigue with COVID-19 pandemic fatigue among the general population of Malaysia. The data was collected online during the transition from the COVID-19 pandemic phase to the endemic phase in Malaysia from 1 to 30 April 2022. Sociodemographic data, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), perceived causes of pandemic fatigue, and the Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS) were included in the survey. The chi-square test and a simple logistic regression analysis were used to identify predictors of pandemic fatigue. The completed survey ( N = 775) included individuals aged 18 years or above [mean 31.98 (SD = 12.16)] from all states in Malaysia. Pandemic fatigue prevalence was 54.2%. Severe to extremely severe depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms were detected in 11.2%, 14.9%, and 9.1% of the participants, respectively. Younger age, non-Malay ethnicity, living alone, and higher income categories were significantly higher in the fatigued group. Higher DASS-21 scores on all domains were associated with higher FAS scores. Meanwhile, high scores for perceived tiredness from complying with the COVID-19 Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), perceived risk of infection from COVID-19, perceived hardship due to the pandemic, perceived public complacency during the pandemic, and perceived changes due to the pandemic were associated with a higher FAS score. This study provides valuable information for policymakers and mental health professionals worldwide on pandemic fatigue and its associated factors, including mental health status in Malaysia.

Keywords: pandemic fatigue; COVID-19; depression; anxiety; stress (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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