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Prevalence and Correlates of Likely Anxiety Disorder in Ghana During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence From a Cross-Sectional Online Survey

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 November 2024

Kenneth Fosu Oteng Open the ORCID record for Kenneth Fosu Oteng [Opens in a new window] ,
Lauren J. Wallace ,
Medard Kofi Adu ,
Kwabena Fosu Lartey ,
Joshua Arthur ,
Samuel Dwomoh ,
Ruth Owusu-Antwi ,
Diana Nunana Tsali ,
Rita Larsen-Reindorf  and
Vincent I.O. Agyapong Open the ORCID record for Vincent I.O. Agyapong [Opens in a new window]
Kenneth Fosu Oteng*
Affiliation:
Ashanti Regional Health Directorate, Ghana Health Service, Kumasi, Ghana
Lauren J. Wallace
Affiliation:
Dodowa Health Research Centre, Ghana Health Service, Dodowa, Ghana
Medard Kofi Adu
Affiliation:
University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, Department of Psychiatry, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Kwabena Fosu Lartey
Affiliation:
Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
Joshua Arthur
Affiliation:
Public Health Unit, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana
Samuel Dwomoh
Affiliation:
Ashanti Regional Health Directorate, Ghana Health Service, Kumasi, Ghana
Ruth Owusu-Antwi
Affiliation:
Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Kumasi, Ghana
Diana Nunana Tsali
Affiliation:
Kumasi South Hospital, Kumasi, Ashanti Region, Ghana
Rita Larsen-Reindorf
Affiliation:
Ashanti Regional Health Directorate, Ghana Health Service, Kumasi, Ghana
Vincent I.O. Agyapong
Affiliation:
University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, Department of Psychiatry, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
*
Corresponding author: Kenneth Fosu Oteng; Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic created stressors to daily living, leading to increased mental health problems. It is important to assess the influence of COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, specifically anxiety.

Objectives

The goal was to determine the prevalence and sociodemographic, clinical, and other correlates of likely Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) among study subjects in Ghana.

Design

This study employed a cross-sectional approach, using an online survey administered primarily through social media platforms. The survey questions included the GAD-7 scale, which was used to assess likely GAD in respondents. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and logistic regression analysis.

Participants

Overall, 756 respondents completed the survey, mainly from Ashanti and Greater Accra, which were the hardest hit by COVID-19.

Results

The prevalence of likely GAD in our sample was 7.6%. Gender, loss of job due to COVID-19, and seeking mental health counseling were independently associated with increased likelihood of GAD.

Conclusions

The findings suggest that women, those who lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and those who sought mental health counseling were more likely to experience moderate to high anxiety symptoms as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Priority must be attached to psychological support measures for members of these groups.

Keywords

anxietymental healthCOVID-19pandemicGhana
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 18 , 2024 , e269
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc.

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