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. 2024 Sep 20;4(1):38.
doi: 10.1007/s44192-024-00090-5.

Health survey on anxiety, depression, and stress in Afghanistan: A large-scale cross-sectional study amid ongoing challenges

Ahmad Neyazi  1   2 , Abdul Qadim Mohammadi  3 , Nosaibah Razaqi  4 , Bilal Ahmad Rahimi  5 , Sifatullah Sifat  6 , Najeebullah Rahimy  7 , Zarghoon Tareen  5 , Qasim Mehmood  8 , Prakasini Satapathy  9 , Mark D Griffiths  10
Affiliations

Health survey on anxiety, depression, and stress in Afghanistan: A large-scale cross-sectional study amid ongoing challenges

Ahmad Neyazi et al. Discov Ment Health. .

Abstract

Background: One of the most significant events in recent Afghan history is the rise of the Taliban and the war that followed, which had profound impacts on the lives of Afghans. The present study examined the mental health of Afghans living under the Taliban government.

Methods: Between June 5, 2023 and February 12, 2024, a cross-sectional study was conducted among the Afghan population in three key regions of Afghanistan. Data were collected using a pre-tested structured questionnaire. The 21-item Depression, Anxiety and Stress scale (DASS-21) was utilized to assess depression, anxiety and stress of the Afghan population. Ethical permission for this study was granted by the Afghanistan Center for Epidemiological Studies (ACES). Logistic regression models were employed to explore the relationship between socio-demographic characteristics and depression, anxiety, and stress among 2,698 participants.

Results: The prevalence of depression was 72.05%, anxiety was 71.94%, and stress was 66.49%. Multiple regression analysis indicated that gender (being female), economic status (being poor), residency (living in rural areas), education level (being illiterate), being a cigarette smoker, and having experienced a bad event during the past month were significantly associated with depression, anxiety and stress.

Conclusion: The findings of the present study show very high levels of anxiety, depression, and stress, most likely reflecting the profound impact of recent political, social, and economic changes. Notably, a significant majority of participants, particularly females and individuals above 35 years of age, reported severe to extremely severe mental health symptoms. The mental health crisis in Afghanistan is a complex and urgent issue that requires a comprehensive and compassionate response.

Keywords: Afghanistan; Anxiety; Depression; Stress; Taliban.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Provinces included in the present study. (The blue color denotes the provinces included in the study, while the black color indicates the provinces where data collection was not carried out)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Categories of depression, anxiety, and stress (Afghanistan-2023)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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