Abstract
Background:The COVID-19 crisis has unique features that increase the sense of fear, and comes with additional stressors (e.g., confusion, discrimination, quarantine), which can lead to adverse psychological responses. There is however limited understanding of differences between sociocultural contexts in psychological response to pandemics and other disasters.Objective:To examine how Canadians in different provinces, and with different governance modes and sociocultural contexts, understand and react to the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods:A web-based survey was conducted from April 8–11, 2020, among a representative sample of 600 Canadian adults from two different contexts (n=300 in Quebec, the French part of Canada, and n=300 elsewhere in Canada). Two psychological outcomes were assessed: probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and probable generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The roles of various stressors (i.e., threat perceived for oneself or family/friends, quarantine or isolation, financial losses, victims of stigma), assets (i.e., trust in authorities, information received, and compliance with directives) and sources of information used on these two outcomes were also examined. Chi-square tests were performed to examine differences in the distribution of probable PTSD and GAD according to these stressors and assets.Results:Probable PTSD and GAD were observed in 25.5% and 25.4% of the respondents, respectively. These proportions were significantly lower in Quebec than elsewhere in Canada. Perceiving a high level of threat and being a victim of stigma were positively associated with probable PTSD and GAD (but not quarantine/isolation and financial losses). A high level of trust in authorities was the only asset associated with a lower risk of PTSD or GAD. Interestingly, this asset was more frequently reported in Quebec than elsewhere in Canada.Conclusion:The COVID-19 pandemic represents a unique opportunity to evaluate the psychosocial impacts on various sociocultural groups and contexts, providing important lessons that could help respond to future disasters.
Highlights
Introduction to the pilot surveyThis study looks at how populations with different governance modes and sociocultural contexts understand and react to the COVID-19 pandemic
By causing psychological stress, coupled with significant human and material losses and extended social and service disruption, disasters negatively affect the health and well-being of individuals and societies [2]. Such traumatic events may result in a wide range of mental health disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) being the most commonly studied [3]
This study aims to 1) capture the psychological response and its associated stressors and assets in the midst of the first wave of the pandemic in Canada, and 2) compare psychological responses, stressors, and assets in Quebec versus the ROC
Summary
This study looks at how populations with different governance modes and sociocultural contexts understand and react to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is done through a pilot survey conducted among a representative sample of the population living in the province of Quebec and the rest of Canada (ROC). By causing psychological stress, coupled with significant human and material losses and extended social and service disruption, disasters negatively affect the health and well-being of individuals and societies [2] Such traumatic events may result in a wide range of mental health disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) being the most commonly studied [3]. A growing body of evidence demonstrates that the prevalence of anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, substance misuse problems, and somatic symptoms are increasing when communities are hit by a disaster [2,3,4,5,6]
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