Assessing the general health of the public population in South Khorasan Province before and during the COVID-۱۹ epidemic

Background and objective: During epidemics of infectious diseases, individuals’ health, especially their mental health, are affected. This study aimed to evaluate general health and its dimensions during the COVID-۱۹ epidemic in South Khorasan province, Iran. Methods: This study is a cross-sectional study. Individual information was collected voluntarily on the web. General health evaluation was performed by a standard questionnaire (GHQ-۲۸). The collected data were entered into the SPSS v.۲۳ and statistical tests were performed. Findings: This study was performed on ۳۲۰ people, most of the subjects were in the age range of ۲۰-۳۰ years. Also, ۸۰ (۲۵.۰%) participants reported nonspecific symptoms of COVID-۱۹ such as headache, sore throat, and dry cough, and ۲۱۶ people (۶۷.۵%) used personal protective equipment (PPE). The mean score of the GHQ-۲۸ one month before the COVID-۱۹ epidemic (BE) was ۱۶.۵ ± ۹.۱, while the mean of this score during the epidemic (DE) increased by ۱.۸ points and reached ۱۸.۳ ± ۱۰.۲ (P ≤۰.۰۰۳, effect size=۱۰.۹%). The score of anxiety/insomnia subscale showed the highest increment. Adjusted R۲ values for the scores of somatic symptoms, anxiety/insomnia, and social dysfunction subscales, and the score of the GHQ-۲۸ were ۱۴.۸%, ۱۰.۵%, ۱۳.۸%, and ۱۳.۱%, respectively. Conclusion: This study showed that with the COVID-۱۹ epidemic, the community has been faced with conditions in which individualschr('۳۹') anxiety, depression, social function, and in general, various dimension of health, has been deteriorated. The results of this study can be beneficial for appropriate planning for maintaining, promoting, and improving health in the community.

Keywords:

Anxiety , COVID-۱۹ epidemic , Depression , GHQ-۲۸ , Mental health