Women mental health status and behaviour change during the COVID-19 in Sudan

Abstract

During the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Sudan, women took the heaviest burden in taking care of family health needs. Potential health risks and its ensuing readiness to adopt and comply with public health measures may be especially distressing on women. Mental health challenges involved with modifying health behaviours that adhere to pandemic guidelines are considered following the Stages of Change Model. A total of 498 Sudanese women completed a cross-sectional online survey during the COVID-19 pandemic in Khartoum State. A questionnaire was designed to assess the transition within the stages of change towards maintenance to protective behaviours. Mental health status was assessed using an Arabic validated version of the Hopkins Symptoms Checklist for depression and anxiety. Most of the respondents were 40-year university graduate women. Depression and anxiety were low among 75% of respondents. The stages of change indicated that 22% of the women are in the maintenance stage compared to 1% in precontemplation. Anxiety increased significantly with the progression in the stages. The multiple regression equation R2 = .42, F(1, 416) = 6.71, p = .005 indicated that the preparation stage and action stage has a significant effect on the maintenance of protective behaviours. The most likely factors to motivate Sudanese women to comply with COVID-19 protective behaviours are the perception of self-efficacy coupled with access to information. The implications may be central to empirically stage-match transition points in the change process as they relate to mental health status.