Background: The COVID-19 pandemic created stressors to daily living, leading to increased mental health problems. It is important to assess the influence of COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, specifically anxiety.
Objectives: The goal was to determine the prevalence and sociodemographic, clinical, and other correlates of likely Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) among study subjects in Ghana.
Design: This study employed a cross-sectional approach, using an online survey administered primarily through social media platforms. The survey questions included the GAD-7 scale, which was used to assess likely GAD in respondents. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and logistic regression analysis.
Participants: Overall, 756 respondents completed the survey, mainly from Ashanti and Greater Accra, which were the hardest hit by COVID-19.
Results: The prevalence of likely GAD in our sample was 7.6%. Gender, loss of job due to COVID-19, and seeking mental health counseling were independently associated with increased likelihood of GAD.
Conclusions: The findings suggest that women, those who lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and those who sought mental health counseling were more likely to experience moderate to high anxiety symptoms as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Priority must be attached to psychological support measures for members of these groups.
Keywords: COVID-19; Ghana; anxiety; mental health; pandemic.