A Cross-Sectional Study to Estimate the Severity of Anxiety in Professionals Remotely Working from Home during COVID-19 Pandemic
Author(s): Abhinit Kumar, Kunal Kumar, Nikhil Nayar, Shubhika Aggarwal* and Shruti Sharma
Abstract
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on public mental health besides playing havoc with one's physical health. The study aims to fill the existing gap in the research concerning the impact of COVID-19 on professionals working from homes (WFH). Aims: To estimate the severity of anxiety in WFH Professionals during COVID-19 and to assess its impact on their financial, personal and professional lives. Material and Methods: It was an online questionnaire designed to profile remotely working professionals to assess the anxiety levels using Becks anxiety inventory (BAI) scale and the impact of Covid-19 on the personal, professional and financial status on 255 qualified respondents (123 women & 135 men). Statistical analysis: Chi-square test was done by using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 software. P-value P<0.05 was considered significant. Results: WFH during the COVID-19 restrictions increased moderate to severe anxiety levels (32.09%) with females (51.02%) suffering at higher rates than their male counterparts (15.09%). In these remotely working women, being married (64%) staying in a joint family (90.9%), having children (90.9%) heightened this anxiety. Results suggest that remotely working has adversely impacted their personal lives with females suffering at higher levels than men. It affected their financial lives adversely with females suffering at higher rates. Professional situation got severely impacted by this WFH however; women and men were similarly affected. Conclusion: Worsening anxiety levels and adverse impact on the personal, financial and professional lives in these remotely working Professionals especially women necessitates finding solutions by employers, psychologists and psychiatrists to alleviate this indirect impact of Covid 19.