Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Stress Level of Tsunami-Affected Communities Living in Temporary Housing in Palu City-Indonesia

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on the socio-economic conditions and the public health in Palu. Tsunami-affected communities in the temporary housing are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19.
 AIM: This study aims to examine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the stress level of the tsunami-affected communities, the solutions that they adopt for dealing with this situation, and whether they obey the COVID-19 protocols in the process.
 METHOD: This study used an analytical survey method and the respondents consisted of 170 households affected by the tsunami living in temporary housing in Lere, Palu City, Indonesia. The data were collected through interviews and the stress level was measured using the DASS-42. The data were then analyzed using the paired t-test and percentage.
 RESULTS: The data from the DASS-42 questionnaire show that the percentages of people with mild, moderate, and severe stress were 35%, 60%, and 5%, respectively. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the stress level of the communities living in temporary housing in Palu (losing jobs with p = 0.002, decreasing income with p = 0.0016, no job vacancy with p = 0.0012, reduced government assistance duringthe pandemicwith p = 0.000, and uncertainty over the end of the pandemic with p = 0.001). Some of the strategies used to cope with this condition include socializing with neighbors (100%), working together (40%), breaking the Ramadan fast together (100%), attending congregational prayers (100%), and promoting mutual cooperation (100%). However, they did not obey the COVID-19 protocols while doing these activities as they did not wear a mask (100%), do physical distancing (100%), wash their hands (100%), and nor follow stay-at-home orders (100%).
 CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic affected the stress level of the tsunami-affected communities in temporary housing in Palu, Indonesia. The solutions for dealing with this include socializing with neighbors, working together, breaking the Ramadan fast together, attending congregational prayers, and promoting mutual cooperation. These communities, however, did not obey the COVID-19 protocols.