Deciphering the correlation of depression, quality of life, and COVID-19 challenges in people with disability: A Saudi Arabian perspective

• Main Authors: Syed Mohammed Basheeruddin Asdaq (Author), Sultan Alshehri (Author), Sarah Abdulrahman Alajlan (Author), Fadah Hasan Hasino (Author), Shatha Khalid Alhammad (Author), Taraf Shati Al Anazi (Author), Reham Mansour Alasfr (Author), Munirah Fahad Al Otaibi (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Elsevier, 2024-06-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 1876-0341; 10.1016/j.jiph.2024.04.008
• Keywords: Disability; Depression; COVID-19 Vaccine; Quality of life; Saudi Arabia; Infectious and parasitic diseases; RC109-216; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270
• Source: Journal of Infection and Public Health, Vol 17, Iss 6, Pp 1013-1022 (2024)

Background: Disability is a serious health issue that can have a significant impact on both physical and mental health. This study attempted to investigate the relationship between depression, quality of life (QOL), and COVID-19 challenges faced by people with disabilities (PwD) from Saudi Arabia. Methods: A structured interview questionnaire to measure QOL (WHOQOL-BREF) and depression (PHQ-9) was used to conduct a cross-sectional study among PwDs in Saudi Arabia. Binary regression analysis was done using SPSS-IBM and predictors for depression, quality of life and COVID-19 challenges were determined. Results: Of the 111 study samples, two-thirds were male (67.6%), with only one-third employed (34.2%). Most of them (70%) reported moderate to severe disability-related difficulties. Only 28.8% of the samples were satisfied with the physical health domain of the quality of life, whereas 31.5%, 44.1%, and 50.5% were satisfied with the psychological, social, and environmental health domains, respectively. Approximately 62% of the participants had been diagnosed with depression. A significantly higher percentage of participants who had not received COVID-19 vaccination were depressed (P = 0.011), whereas the depression rate was lower among those who received three or four doses of vaccination (P = 0.006). Depression is 4.1 times more likely in people with comorbidities, and disability with increased difficulty (OR: 4.266). Furthermore, vaccinated people had a 5.3-fold higher chance of developing satisfactory QOL. Conclusion: Regardless of the type, cause, or duration of disability, the degree of difficulty is a strong predictor of depression and a decrease in quality of life. A multidisciplinary approach is needed to improve the well-being of people with disabilities.