Symptoms of psychological distress amongst women during the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND: Since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, several countries are still struggling to contain its spread. Apart from economic challenges, the pandemic has had a negative impact on the mental health and psychological well-being of millions of people worldwide. The effects of COVID-19 are disproportionate depending on sociodemographic characteristics. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on psychological distress among women in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: Data were extracted from an online cross-sectional self-reported questionnaire conducted to measure symptoms of psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia from 3 May to 8 May 2020. The study included a sample of 1527 women. The questionnaire was based on the COVID-19 Peritraumatic Distress Index (CPDI) tool to categorise women who responded to the questionnaire as experiencing normal, mild, or severe levels of distress. Sociodemographic factors related to different levels of psychological distress among women were examined using descriptive analysis and multinomial logistic regression models. RESULTS: Overall, 44% of the respondents indicated symptoms of psychological distress due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Approximately 36% of women showed symptoms of mild psychological distress, with 8% of women experiencing a severe distress level. The results also revealed particularly high levels of psychological distress among younger women and female healthcare workers. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic highly contributes to psychological distress among women in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, it is essential to establish medium- and long-term strategies that target the most vulnerable women affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.