The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of Rohingya refugees with pre-existing health problems in Bangladesh

Table 2 RHS Scores at baseline and follow up assessment of the participants

Variable	Pre-pandemic assessment (N = 342)				During pandemic assessment (N = 342)
Variable	RHS-15 Part I^a	p-value^*	RHS-15 Part II^a	p-value*	RHS-15 Part I^a	p-value	RHS-15 Part II^a	p-value*
Total score
Mean ± SD	22.96 ± 8.43		4.42 ± 1.59		46.72 ± 1.87		6.91 ± 1.49
Median (Min–Max)	23 (2–44)		5 (0–10)		47 (40–51)		7 (4–10)
Age category (years)
≤ 30	21.94 ± 8.34	0.005	4.43 ± 1.59	0.980	46.57 ± 1.84	0.052	6.89 ± 1.47	0.766
> 30	24 .53 ± 8.35	0.005	4.43 ± 1.59		46.97 ± 1.88		6.94 ± 1.51
Gender
Female	22.71 ± 8.23	0.486	4.51 ± 1.54	0.244	46.89 ± 1.74	0.033	7.28 ± 1.40	< 0.001
Male	23.36 ± 8.74		4.30 ± 1.67		46.45 ± 2.02		6.33 ± 1.44
Marital status
Married	23.38 ± 8.29	0.134	4.48 ± 1.47	0.320	46.76 ± 1.83	0.585	6.91 ± 1.51	0.984
Single^b	21.85 ± 8.71		4.28 ± 1.88		46.64 ± 1.96		6.91 ± 1.45
Comorbidities
HTN
Present	21.66 ± 8.28	0.061	4.42 ± 1.39	0.943	46.63 ± 2.04	0.529	7.15 ± 0.14	0.057
Absent	23.52 ± 8.44		4.43 ± 1.68		46.77 ± 1.79		6.81 ± 1.51
BA
Present	22.65 ± 8.91	0.827	4.06 ± 1.99	0.185	47.00 ± 1.48	0.396	6.74 ± 1.59	0.505
Absent	22.99 ± 8.39		4.46 ± 1.55		46.70 ± 1.87		6.92 ± 1.48
IHD
Present	25.40 ± 6.94	0.021	4.24 ± 1.72	0.414	46.30 ± 2.21	0.121	6.91 ± 1.51	0.486
Absent	22.62 ± 8.57		4.45 ± 1.58		46.79 ± 1.81		6.93 ± 1.51
COPD
Present	23.14 ± 7.71	0.906	4.57 ± 1.91	0.618	46.74 ± 1.88	0.801	6.43 ± 1.69	0.073
Absent	22.95 ± 8.49		4.41 ± 1.57		46.64 ± 1.70		6.96 ± 1.47
DM
Present	26.70 ± 4.90	0.003	4.50 ± 0.82	0.709	47.40 ± 1.14	0.097	7.90 ± 0.96	< 0.001
Absent	22.73 ± 8.56		4.42 ± 1.63		46.69 ± 1.89		6.85 ± 1.49

RHS- Refugee Health Screener; HTN: Hypertension; BA: Bronchial Asthma; IHD: Ischemic Heart Disease; COPD: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; DM: Diabetes Mellitus
^aRHS-15 part I consists of items 1–14 and part II consists of item 15 (distress thermometer)
^bIncluding unmarried, divorced and widowed
^*p value estimated by independent sample t-test
p value < 0.05 considered statistically significant

ISSN: 1752-1505