The Prevalence of Depressive Symptoms among Adults Living in the UAE during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Purpose: To investigate the prevalence of depressive symptoms among adults living in the UAE during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This cross-sectional study used a self-administered anonymous online questionnaire distributed in both Arabic and English via social media platforms. A total of 261 adults living in the UAE were included in the study, using a non-probability volunteer sampling. Univariate and bivariate analyses of the acquired data were analyzed using SPPS Statistics version 26. Patients clinically diagnosed with depression were excluded from this study. Findings: Overall, the prevalence of depression among our studied population was 63%. Several parameters were correlated with depression to assess their associations. A lower household income was found to be linked to a greater likelihood of developing depression, as 74.6% of depressed subjects had an income lower than 20,000 Dhs (p=0.003). Age also had a significant correlation (95% CI, p=0.003) with depression, and those in the younger age group (18-25 years) had a greater prevalence of depression than did those in the older age group. Difficulty performing daily activities, restless sleep, feeling lonely, feeling sad, feeling inadequate, and losing hope were the most commonly reported symptoms in depressed subjects. A total of 78.21% of our participants did not know about hotlines when they were depressed; however, this difference was not statistically significant (95% CI, p=0.178). Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Depression was prevalent in 63% of our participants. A lower household income and younger age were associated with a greater risk of depression. We believe that our findings will encourage institutions and government authorities to implement awareness programs about depression awareness and screening for depression. Families should support individuals seeking professional help, particularly if their depressive symptoms are severe or persistent.