Perception of Threat and Psychological Impact of COVID-19 among Expatriates in Makkah Region, Saudi Arabia.

Majed A Algarni,Yusuf S Althobaiti,Raghad A Alasmari,Yasser Alatawi,Mohammad S Alzahrani,Abdullah A Alhifany,Atiah H Almalki,Hashem O Alsaab

doi:10.3390/ijerph18126650

Abstract

In the first few months of the pandemic, Makkah region reported the highest number of COVID-19 cases among all regions in Saudi Arabia. More than 80% of these reported cases were non-Saudi residents. In this study, we evaluated the perceived threat from and psychological impact of COVID-19 among non-Saudi residents of Makkah region. This was a cross-sectional analysis of data collected using a standardized self-report questionnaire. A total of 292 expatriates were included in the study, the majority of whom were non-Arabic speakers. The prevalence of self-reported depression was nearly 40%, anxiety was 32%, and stress was 43%. The findings indicated variability in the prevalence of psychological symptoms among expatriates from different ethnic backgrounds. Additionally, work environment and perceived threat were strong predictors of psychological disorders. This suggested that the perceived threat from and psychological burden of COVID-19 among non-Saudis in Makkah region is substantial. Future research should investigate the reasons behind these variations in the psychological impact of the pandemic among different ethnic groups.

Highlights

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a severe respiratory disease that can lead to serious complications and death
The results showed that the perception of threat among participants on most of the BIP-Q5 items was significantly correlated with the DASS-21 subscales (Table 3)
This study found a high prevalence of psychological symptoms among expatriates in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic

Summary

Introduction

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a severe respiratory disease that can lead to serious complications and death. In late January 2020, COVID-19 was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organization [2]. A pandemic can affect communities and disrupt the norm, causing economic losses and depleting essential resources. There can be an impact on individual health and well-being, leading to various emotional and psychological disorders. Psychological reactions during a pandemic play a significant role in creating outbreaks of both the disease and psychological disorders [3]. Resources are usually not allocated to decrease the effects of a pandemic on individual mental health. Mental health within communities is generally overlooked during the early stages of a pandemic, when managing the spread of infection is prioritized [3]

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