What is it about?
During the COVID-19 pandemic, people living with long-term conditions like diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, or cancer faced extra hardships in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Lockdowns, fear of infection, and limited access to healthcare increased feelings of stress, worry, and sadness. This study surveyed 426 adults attending hospital outpatient clinics in 2021 to measure how common depression, anxiety, and pandemic-related stress were and what factors made them worse.
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Why is it important?
Nearly half (46%) reported severe stress from the pandemic, 40% showed signs of depression, and 27% had anxiety. These issues hit harder for younger adults, women, unmarried people, those with lower education, patients with multiple chronic conditions, and anyone with weak family/friend support. In places like Ethiopia with limited mental health resources, these findings show the need for routine mental health checks and simple support (like counseling or building stronger social networks) in chronic disease care. This can help patients stick to treatments, improve quality of life, and reduce lasting effects from future health crises.
Perspectives
This research shines a light on how the COVID-19 pandemic seriously worsened mental health for people already managing chronic diseases in low-resource settings like Ethiopia. By identifying key risk factors (younger age, multiple illnesses, poor support), it provides clear guidance for policymakers, doctors, and health programs to integrate mental health support into everyday chronic care, helping prevent long-term harm and build stronger resilience against future pandemics.
Ayto Addisu Negash
Wachemo University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Prevalence and determinants of depression, anxiety, and perceived stress among patients with chronic comorbidity attending outpatient clinics in Addis Ababa during the COVID-19 pandemic, PLOS Global Public Health, February 2026, PLOS,
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0005838.
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