Background:
Essential
workers are imperative in the fight against the
coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
pandemic.
Aim:
To assess the
prevalence and factors associated with
anxiety and
depression among essential
workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown.
Setting:
This study was set in Ekiti
State,
Nigeria.
Method:
This was a
cross-sectional study involving essential
workers in Ekiti
State Nigeria, during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. A total of 588 essential
workers were sampled. Online socio-demographic variables and the
Hospital Anxiety and
Depression Scale, a 14 item
self-reported
questionnaire were used.
Results:
The
prevalence of
anxiety and
depression among the
respondents was 93.4% (CI = 91.295.2) and 64.3% (CI = 60.468.4) respectively. Among the
health workers, the
prevalence of
anxiety and
depression were 96.5% (CI =94.898.1) and 66.5% (CI = 60.569.8) respectively while the
prevalence of
anxiety and
depressive symptoms among non-
health workers were 84.6% (CI = 78.790.1) and 61.5% (CI = 54.269.4) respectively. The
odds ratio (OR) of
depressive symptoms was increased among,
respondents who were not satisfied with the support they received from the
government during the
pandemic (AOR = 2.071, CI = 1.3502.213),
respondents that were 35 years and younger (AOR = 1.512, CI = 1.0332.213) and reduced amongst Christians (AOR = 0.501, CI = 0.2860.879). The odd of
anxiety was increased among
health workers compared to non-
health workers (AOR = 3.700, CI = 1.7447.851) and the odds of
anxiety was reduced among
respondents with previous
history of
mental illness (AOR = 0.215, CI = 0.0490.943).
Conclusion:
Anxiety and
depressive symptoms were common
mental illness among essential
workers working during the COVID-19 lockdown, therefore their
mental health should be adequately considered to sustain the fight against the
virus.