The COVID-19 Pandemic and Psychiatric Symptoms in Pakistan

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic created the perfect storm for expression of psychiatric symptoms across the world. The current study sought to examine the specific impact of the pandemic via the pathways of stress and coronavirus anxiety on psychiatric symptoms in a Pakistani sample. As expected, women reported significantly more symptoms of depression, anxiety and somatization than men. After controlling for age, gender, and socioeconomic status, it was found that perceived stress and coronavirus anxiety were strong predictors of psychiatric symptoms. This study highlights that women in Pakistan may be at greater risk for psychiatric symptoms during stressful periods, perhaps due to common gender issues across cultures, but also the specific situation for women in Pakistan. The specific impact of the pandemic on psychiatric symptoms through the route of stress and anxiety towards the illness caused by coronavirus is also highlighted by this research. Implications include planning for psychological care for future stressful situations, as well as increasing awareness and availability of psychiatric care for women in Pakistan.