A Tale of Three Countries in Southeast Asia: How Did Coronavirus Anxiety Impact Mental Health?

Abstract

Introduction: COVID-19 has impacted individuals from all nations, continents, races, and socioeconomic classes. However, emerging countries in Southeast Asia may have trouble during this time due to a lack of resources because of their high population densities. A few studies conducted in three Southeast Asian countries—Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia—found signs of moderate to severe anxiety. It is predicted that it could have an effect on mental health as the pandemic progress.

Objectives: This study aims to understand the relationship between anxiety caused by the Coronavirus among people in the three Southeast Asia Countries with their mental health.

Methods: Using convenience sampling in quantitative methods, data were collected by administering an online questionnaire to people among the age of 18 and above who lived in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Philippines. Coronavirus anxiety measured using the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS). Whereas, mental health measured using The Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF). The analysis used in this study was descriptive analysis and linear regression.

Results: 514 people from Indonesia, Philippines, and Malaysia participated in this study. Current study shows significant relationship between coronavirus anxiety and mental health. However only 6.4% of the variance of mental health can be explained by coronavirus anxiety, while 93.6% is explained by other variables not examined in this study.

Conclusions: There is a significant relationship between coronavirus anxiety and mental health, however the relationship between them was low.