Abstract
BackgroundThe effects of the COVID 19 pandemic on the mental health of citizens from Asia, Europe, or North America begin to be known, but there are fewer publications on its effects in Latin American countries. In this study, its impact in Ecuador is described, with data collected during the first phase of the pandemic. The objective of this study was to analyse the level of psychological distress in the population of Ecuador during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods and findingsCross-sectional observational study. The questionnaires were collected through an online self-developed questionnaire, between April 2 and May 17, 2020, using the non-probabilistic sampling methodology: snowball method. The variables considered were sociodemographic variables, physical symptoms, health status, COVID-19 contact history, preventive measures, and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). The percentage with high psychological distress (PD) (GHQ-12 ≥ 3) has been somewhat lower than that found in Europe, being women, young people, people with higher level of education, living without a partner, not living with children or children under 16 years of age, and with worse perception of health the groups with the highest PD. Differences have been observed with European studies regarding common symptoms, preventive measures to avoid contagion, percentage of infected relatives, or diagnostic tests performed.ConclusionsThe use of the same research instrument, validated in Europe and adapted to Ecuador, has facilitated the comparison of the found results and differences, which can be explained by socio-economic or cultural variables, the health system, level of information, or by preventive measures put in place to prevent the pandemic.
Highlights
The SARS-CoV-2 virus disease (COVID-19) has caused a global health crisis with dramatic consequences
Psychological distress and COVID-19 in Ecuador socio-economic or cultural variables, the health system, level of information, or by preventive measures put in place to prevent the pandemic
The objective of the study was to analyse the level of psychological distress in the population of Ecuador during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, identifying the possible association with sociodemographic variables, presence of physical symptoms, and contact history in order to be able to establish preventive measures and find out whether the results differ from those found in other geographical areas
Summary
The SARS-CoV-2 virus disease (COVID-19) has caused a global health crisis with dramatic consequences. On 30 January 2020, the WHO declared an international public health emergency following the COVID-19 outbreak that began in Wuhan, China. Following the increase in spread to more than 118,000 cases in 114 countries and 4291 deaths, on 11 March 2020, the WHO reported the pandemic status of the situation [4]. In Ecuador, the first confirmed case was reported on 29 February 2020 [5], and on 11 March, the Ministry of Health declared the State of Health Emergency in the National Health System (Agreement No 00126–2020). Restrictive measures were established on 16 March to prevent the spread of the virus, when the President of the Republic decreed the state of emergency (Executive Decree 1017), lasting 60 days [6]. The objective of this study was to analyse the level of psychological distress in the population of Ecuador during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic
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