Impact of Covid-19 outbreak on psychological health-The case of Bangladesh

Sayema Sultana; Imran Shafique; Nauman Majeed; Samia Jamshed; Akram Khan Shahani; Fiza Qureshi

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e06772

Impact of Covid-19 outbreak on psychological health-The case of Bangladesh

Heliyon. 2021 Apr 12;7(4):e06772. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e06772. eCollection 2021 Apr.

Authors

Sayema Sultana¹, Imran Shafique², Nauman Majeed³, Samia Jamshed⁴, Akram Khan Shahani⁵, Fiza Qureshi⁵

Affiliations

¹ Saif Kashem & Co., Chartered Accountants, 104 Agrabad Commercial Area, Chittagong, Bangladesh.
² Department of Management Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, Lahore, Pakistan.
³ Faculty of Social and Management Sciences, Lahore Garrison University, Sector C, Phase VI, DHA, Lahore, Pakistan.
⁴ Department of Business and Management Sciences, Superior University, Lahore, Pakistan.
⁵ Institute of Business Administration, University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan.

Abstract

Background: The outbreak of COVID-19, a profoundly contagious disease has unnerved the world in a calamitous manner from diverse aspects. The present study ventures to expand the literature by exploring loneliness, social isolation, risk perception, financial distress, and psychological distress amidst the lockdown phase of the general population of Bangladesh.

Methods: Through an online survey among 474 respondents (between April 17th and April 23rd, 2020), data were collected from the Bangladeshi residents (21 years or above). Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were conducted using IBM Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) and Warp-PLS.

Results: Findings suggest a strong positive correlation among the factors and social isolation, risk perception, financial distress are manifested as the predictors of psychological distress. Besides, females, aged people, and lower-income group are found to be more psychologically distressed.

Conclusion: This study yields new insights into the psychological facets of a lower-middle-income earning country, Bangladesh.

Keywords: Financial distress; Loneliness; Psychological distress; Risk perception; Social isolation.