Level of wellbeing among Maldivians during the COVID19 pandemic
Date
2022-12
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Abstract
This study aims to present the level of wellbeing associated with demographic factors and COVID-19-related factors of people living in the Maldives during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected from 312 participants aged 18 years and above using a two-stage random sampling approach. Mental Health Continuum Short Form (MCF-SF), was used for data collection. The mental wellbeing results revealed average scores in the three wellbeing domains; emotional wellbeing 4.33 (SD= 0.05), social wellbeing 3.81 (SD= 0.05), and psychological wellbeing 4.60 (SD= 0.04). Females reported a higher level of stress and a low score on the mental wellbeing scale. Participants who were single reported higher levels of stress and low levels of mental wellbeing than those who were married or divorced/widowed. Those who were unemployed and those who feared receiving medical assistance reported higher levels of stress while scoring low on mental wellbeing. At the time of the study, which was during the first wave of the pandemic, the most affected region was Male, while no significant case numbers were reported in the islands, which represents a significant population in the dataset. This study is among the few studies done in Maldives examining the mental wellbeing of the people during the Covid19 pandemic. As such, this study indicates how the extent Maldivians are affected by the Pandemic. This information will be useful for relevant authorities to plan effective interventions, identify vulnerable groups and plan to reduce the burden of mental health during crises in the future.