1. Introduction
COVID-19 is an infectious disease with symptoms ranging from flu-like
symptoms to severe respiratory distress. It is caused by a mutating
virus known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
(SARS-CoV-2). Most infected people will experience mild to moderate
symptoms and recover shortly afterward. Unfortunately, those who suffer
a serious form of the disease are more at risk of dying due to
complications from the disease. Notably, all age groups can contract
coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and face severe consequences, such
as death. Hence, it is important to follow the precautionary guidelines
to protect us from contracting the disease. Some countries enforced a
lockdown to further prevent the spread of the virus .
The worldwide crisis that occurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic led to
hospitalization and increased death rates , and several regulations were
imposed, such as social distancing measures, self-quarantine, and
isolation, which led to negative consequences for mental health and the
appearance of depressive symptoms.
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,
fifth edition (DSM-V), major depressive disorder is a mood disorder
characterized by symptoms of either depressed mood throughout the day or
loss of interest in routine activities. Either one of these two symptoms
must be present along with the other 4 symptoms for a minimum of 2 weeks
to clinically diagnose an individual with major depressive disorder.
Other symptoms include changes in appetite, sleep disturbance, suicidal
ideation, and poor concentration. These symptoms must be present nearly
every day to qualify for a diagnosis . Several studies across the UAE
aimed to identify the prevalence of depression before the COVID-19
pandemic, including two in Sharjah , two in Al Ain and one in Dubai ,
with a prevalence rate ranging from 12.5-28.6%. Accordingly, research
exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health commenced
with several views supporting the deleterious effect this pandemic
created, from the anxiety of testing positive to the grief of losing
someone due to infection . According to a meta-analysis conducted in
China that investigated the prevalence of mental health problems during
the COVID-19 pandemic, the overall prevalences of depression, anxiety,
distress, and insomnia were 31.4%, 31.9%, 41.1%, and 37.9%,
respectively . These studies reflect the consequences of this pandemic
on the mental health of people worldwide.
There are few studies discussing the prevalence of depression in the UAE
population, and we have barely managed to find a study that had a
similar aim; however, they utilized different tools and methods to
analyze their data
Several factors contribute to the need for such a study in the UAE.
Mental health is an important aspect of public health; for that reason,
identifying mental health prevalence can help healthcare providers
allocate appropriate resources to address mental health needs.
Additionally, each country may experience different effects of the
pandemic according to government responses and healthcare
infrastructure; thus, the prevalence of depression can also reflect how
the pandemic has uniquely impacted the adult population of the UAE.
Essentially, appropriate mental health measures and interventions must
be tailored to the needs of the UAE population .
We aimed to investigate the prevalence of depressive symptoms among
adults living in the UAE during the COVID-19 pandemic.