Mahmud Asma Assaedah, Mohamad Rom Fatimah Zahra, Suain Bon Rosnadia, Miskan Maizatullifah, Haque Mainul
Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Defence Health, National Defence University of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, MYS.
Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Defence Health, National Defence University of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, MYS.
Cureus. 2024 Nov 14;16(11):e73676. doi: 10.7759/cureus.73676. eCollection 2024 Nov.
This cross-sectional study among the employees of the National Defense University of Malaysia (NDUM) assessed the levels of depression, anxiety, and fear related to COVID-19 and its association with psychosocial factors. It was conducted during the strict lockdown period imposed by the Malaysian government due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A stratified sampling method was used, and 277 employees were randomly selected to participate in the study. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD-7) was used to measure anxiety symptoms. Patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9) was utilized to assess depression. The fear of COVID-19 (FOC) was calculated using the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV), while the psychosocial factors affecting psychological impact were measured using a self-generated questionnaire.
The study obtained a response rate of 46.2% (n=128). Most respondents were female, married, permanent employees, and from the non-academic group. Depressive and anxiety symptoms were reported by 47% (n=55) and 32.5% (n=38) of the respondents, respectively. Statistically, a higher level of fear related to COVID-19 was found among non-academic employees (p=0.015) and those with permanent employment status (p=0.030). Anxiety was significantly correlated with depression (r=0.70, p≤0.001), while no correlations were found between these factors and fear related to COVID-19. Taking over school lessons was the most troubling factor that affected the respondents' level of distress, followed by working from home and worrying about their family member's health.
This study identified significant psychological effects of the pandemic on university employees, with anxiety and depression being notably correlated. While the generalizability of the findings is limited due to a low response rate, several key psychosocial distress factors were identified. These findings emphasize the necessity of addressing psychosocial factors to mitigate the mental health impact of pandemics. Further research with a higher response rate is required to confirm these findings and to design targeted interventions to support affected employees.
这项针对马来西亚国防大学（NDUM）员工的横断面研究评估了与新冠病毒相关的抑郁、焦虑和恐惧水平及其与社会心理因素的关联。该研究在马来西亚政府因新冠疫情实施的严格封锁期间进行。
采用分层抽样方法，随机选取277名员工参与研究。使用广泛性焦虑障碍量表（GAD - 7）测量焦虑症状。采用患者健康问卷（PHQ - 9）评估抑郁情况。使用新冠病毒恐惧量表（FCV）计算对新冠病毒的恐惧（FOC），同时使用自编问卷测量影响心理影响的社会心理因素。
该研究的回应率为46.2%（n = 128）。大多数受访者为女性、已婚、长期雇员且来自非学术群体。分别有47%（n = 55）和32.5%（n = 38）的受访者报告有抑郁和焦虑症状。从统计学角度看，非学术员工（p = 0.015）和长期雇员（p = 0.030）中与新冠病毒相关的恐惧水平更高。焦虑与抑郁显著相关（r = 0.70，p≤0.001），而这些因素与对新冠病毒的恐惧之间未发现相关性。接管学校课程是影响受访者苦恼程度的最困扰因素，其次是在家工作和担心家人健康。
本研究确定了疫情对大学员工有显著的心理影响，焦虑和抑郁显著相关。由于回应率较低，研究结果的普遍性有限，但确定了几个关键的社会心理困扰因素。这些发现强调了解决社会心理因素以减轻疫情对心理健康影响的必要性。需要进一步进行回应率更高的研究以证实这些发现并设计针对性干预措施来支持受影响的员工。
