Prevalence and factors associated with depression, anxiety, and stress among people with disabilities during COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh: A cross-sectional study

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the mental health of individuals across various populations. People with disabilities (PWDs) are particularly vulnerable to these effects, yet there is a lack of studies investigating the mental health of PWDs in Bangladesh. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of and factors associated with depression, anxiety, and stress among PWDs during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. MethodsData was collected through interviews with 391 PWDs between December 2020 and February 2021. Demographic information, clinical characteristics, and scores from the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) were obtained. Chi-square tests and logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between psychological measures and potential risk factors. ResultsThe prevalence was found to be 65.7% for depression, 78.5% for anxiety, and 61.4% for stress, respectively. Several factors were identified as associated with these mental health issues, including gender (male), marital status (being married), low education levels, multiple impairments, comorbid medical illnesses, poor sleep quality, rural residency, hearing disability, disability onset later in life, and testing positive for COVID-19. ConclusionsThe prevalence was found to be 65.7% for depression, 78.5% for anxiety, and 61.4% for stress, respectively. Several factors were identified as associated with these mental health issues, including gender (male), marital status (being married), low education levels, multiple impairments, comorbid medical illnesses, poor sleep quality, rural residency, hearing disability, disability onset later in life, and testing positive for COVID-19.

Automated summary

This study investigated the prevalence and factors associated with depression, anxiety, and stress among people with disabilities (PWDs) during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. The results showed a prevalence of 65.7% for depression, 78.5% for anxiety, and 61.4% for stress. Several factors were identified as contributing to these mental health issues, including gender, marital status, education levels, impairments, medical illnesses, sleep quality, residency, disability onset, and COVID-19 infection.