Abstract
Objectives: to explore the emotional impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Galapagos Islands. Methods: an online survey of 369 participants, conducted on October of 2020, was used to assess levels of depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as specific behavioral and emotional reactions to the pandemic. Results: the prevalence of anxiety was 4% and depression 3.65%. Perceived stress level was higher, with 52% of the sample reporting moderate amounts. Women had higher levels of depression and perceived stress. Financial distress, interpersonal conflicts, feelings of isolation and fear of contagion of COVID-19 were all associated with higher levels of anxiety, depression, and stress. Conclusion: prevalence of anxiety and depression is lower in the Galápagos Islands during the pandemic compared to other regions, while stress levels are more significant and may warrant intervention. Despite being low, anxiety and depression were associated with potentially problematic behaviors and emotional reactions.
Highlights
The COVID-19 pandemic is by far the worst health crisis in recent times
Anxiety and depression were markedly lower than in mainland Ecuador per comparison with recent studies, the timing of data collection may be in part responsible for these differences
It is likely less significant infection and mortality in the Galapagos Islands contributed to lower levels of psychopathology, which are possibly close to baseline
Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic is by far the worst health crisis in recent times. According to the latest data, at least 190 million cases and 4.2 million deaths have been reported worldwide [1]. In a global sample of 1,612 people from Australia, China, Ecuador, Iran, Italy, Norway and the United States, Passavanti et al [9] found symptoms of depression in 68.7% of Psychological Distress in Galapagos Due to COVID-19 the participants, among which 40.1% were in the moderate to severe range. In China, 52.8% of a general population sample indicated the presence of depressive symptomatology, while the presence of anxiety was observed in 46.7% of the participants [10]. These values contrast highly with respect to the 3.6% prevalence of depression and 5% of anxiety assessed before the outbreak [11]
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