DEPRESSION AND ITS ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG COVID-19 SURVIVORS IN MALAYSIA – AN ONLINE CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Received 2023-02-17; Accepted 2023-06-19; Published 2023-08-07

Authors

  • Foong Ming Moy Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence-based Practice, Department of Social & Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
  • Eugene Ri Jian Lim School of Medicine, International Medical University, 57000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
  • Noran Naqiah Hairi Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence-based Practice, Department of Social & Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
  • Awang Bulgiba Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence-based Practice, Department of Social & Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22452/jummec.vol26no2.17

Keywords:

COVID-19 survivors, Depression, Long COVID

Abstract

Introduction: COVID-19 survivors with mental health issues are more likely to have a lower quality of life, reduced work productivity, social troubles, and other health issues. However, information on the mental health of COVID-19 survivors is scarce. Therefore, we aimed to determine the COVID-19 survivors’ mental health status in the form of depression and its associated factors.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Malaysia, during the nationwide lockdown. Data were collected using an online questionnaire. Socio-demographic variables, comorbidities, self-perception of health, information on the person’s acute condition during COVID-19 infection, symptoms and duration of symptoms postCOVID, and state of depression were gathered. The Patient Health Questionnaire 9 was used to assess depression. Factors associated with mild to severe depression were analysed using multivariable logistic regression analyses.
Results: A total of 732 COVID-19 survivors responded to the survey. The respondents were mainly females and of younger age (in their 20s and 30s). One-third of the participants perceived themselves as having poor health. One in five participants reported having Long COVID. Slightly less than half (47.3%) of the respondents had mild to severe depression (total PHQ-9 score of 5-27). In the multivariable analysis, being female (aOR: 1.68; 95% CI: 1.08,2.62), of younger age (20s – aOR: 3.26; 95% CI: 1.47, 7.25; 30s – aOR: 2.08; 95% CI: 1.05, 4.15; and 40s – aOR: 2.43; 95% CI: 1.20, 4.90; compared to those in their 50s and above), being overweight/obese (aOR: 1.83; 95% CI: 1.18, 2.83), having Long COVID (aOR: 2.45; 95% CI: 1.45, 4.16) and perceived poorer health (aOR: 4.54; 95% CI: 2.89, 7.13)
were associated with mild to severe depression.
Conclusion: Females, younger age groups, being overweight/obese, having Long COVID and perceiving themselves to be in poor health were factors associated with higher odds of mild to severe depression.

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Published

2023-08-07

Issue

Vol. 26 No. 2 (2023)

Section

Research article

License

All authors agree that the article, if editorially accepted for publication, shall be licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 to allow others to freely access, copy and use research provided the author is correctly attributed, unless otherwise stated. All articles are available online without charge or other barriers to access. However, anyone wishing to reproduce large quantities of an article (250+) should inform the publisher. Any opinion expressed in the articles are those of the authors and do not reflect that of the University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.