COVID-19 Lockdown and Psychological Distress: How Nigerians Fared

Abstract

COVID-19 has recently caused unprecedented changes to our society causing untold economic and psychological hardship. This study examined COVID-19 knowledge and gender differences on psychological distress (PD); and how social isolation and age influenced PD among 289 respondents in Nigeria. Majority of respondents have the knowledge of the disease (94.5%), modes of transmission (98.9%) symptoms (94.5%), suggesting prevalence of adequate knowledge of COVID-19. Government responses to the pandemic and palliatives were perceived to be largely insufficient. On the effect of knowledge on PD, the results revealed negative relationship while gender was significant on PD. Social isolation and age, both significantly shows positive relationship with the level of PD, indicating that PD increases as social isolation intensifies, and could worsen among the elderly. The study concludes that government needs to intensify awareness creation as well as incorporate psychological assistance to ease the fear and anxiety, thereby improving better health outcomes.