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Mental Health Status of Teachers During the Second Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Web-Based Study in Bangladesh

Hossain MT 1 , Islam MA 2 , Jahan N 1 , Nahar MT 2 , Sarker MJA 3 , Rahman MM 4 Show all authors , Deeba F 5 , Hoque KE 6 , Aktar R 1 , Islam MM 7 , Hossain MZ 8 , Siddiqua L 9 , Mahbub Z 10 , Islam MN 11

Affiliations 

  • 1 Sociology Discipline, Social Science School, Khulna University, Khulna, Bangladesh
  • 2 Statistics Discipline, Science, Engineering and Technology School, Khulna University, Khulna, Bangladesh
  • 3 Department of Development Studies, Faculty of Social Science and Humanities, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur, Bangladesh
  • 4 Department of Disaster and Human Security Management, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Bangladesh University of Professionals, Dhaka, Bangladesh
  • 5 Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh
  • 6 Faculty of Education, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 7 Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Science, Government Azizul Haque College, Bogura, Bangladesh
  • 8 Department of English, Bangladesh Military Academy, Bhatiari, Bangladesh
  • 9 Architecture Discipline, Science, Engineering and Technology School, Khulna University, Khulna, Bangladesh
  • 10 Upazila Health Complex, Dumuria, Bangladesh
  • 11 Forestry and Wood Technology Discipline, Life Science School, Khulna University, Khulna, Bangladesh
Front Psychiatry, 2022;13:938230.
PMID: 35958639 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.938230

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government of Bangladesh implemented strict non-therapeutic measures, i.e., "social distancing," "lockdown," "work from home," in the first quarter of 2020. Like other professionals, teachers at schools, colleges and universities were confined within households. However, the introduction of online education imposed an additional burden on teachers along with growing household responsibilities, thus, affecting their psychological state.

AIMS: This study was aimed to explore the prevalence of mental health problems among teachers in Bangladesh and to identify the associated risk factors.

METHODS: This web-based cross-sectional study was conducted during the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. Data were collected from 381 teachers working at schools, colleges, and universities between 01 August and 29 August 2021 by administering a self-reported e-questionnaire using Google Form, where the mental health of teachers was assessed by depression, anxiety, and stress scale. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics (Version 26) and STATA Version 16, and multiple linear regression was executed to predict mental health problems among teachers.

RESULTS: The findings indicate that the overall prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress among teachers was 35.4%, 43.7%, and 6.6%, respectively. The prevalence was higher among male and older teachers than among their female and younger colleagues. The findings further showed that place of residence, institution, self-reported health, usage of social and electronic media, and fear of COVID-19 significantly influenced the mental health status of teachers.

CONCLUSION: It is strongly recommended that the government and policymakers provide proper mental health services to teachers in order to reduce mental health problems and thus sustain the quality of education during and after the pandemic.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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