Data_Sheet_1_Psychosocial and Socio-Economic Crisis in Bangladesh Due to COVID-19 Pandemic: A Perception-Based Assessment.docx

Background: The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the partial lockdown, the disease intensity, weak governance in the healthcare system, insufficient medical facilities, unawareness, and the sharing of misinformation in the mass media has led to people experiencing fear and anxiety. The present study intended to conduct a perception-based analysis to get an idea of people's psychosocial and socio-economic crisis, and the possible environmental crisis, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh.Methods: A perception-based questionnaire was put online for Bangladeshi citizens of 18 years and/or older. The sample size was 1,066 respondents. Datasets were analyzed through a set of statistical techniques including principal component and hierarchical cluster analysis.Results: There was a positive significant association between fear of the COVID-19 outbreak with the struggling healthcare system (p < 0.05) of the country. Also, there was a negative association between the fragile health system of Bangladesh and the government's ability to deal with the pandemic (p < 0.05), revealing the poor governance in the healthcare system. A positive association of shutdown and social distancing with the fear of losing one's own or a family members' life, influenced by a lack of healthcare treatment (p < 0.05), reveals that, due to the decision of shutting down normal activities, people may be experiencing mental and economic stress. However, a positive association of the socio-economic impact of the shutdown with poor people's suffering, the price hike of basic essentials, the hindering of formal education (p < 0.05), and the possibility of a severe socio-economic and health crisis will be aggravated. Moreover, there is a possibility of a climate change-induced disaster and infectious diseases like dengue during/after the COVID-19 situation, which will create severe food insecurity (p < 0.01) and a further healthcare crisis.Conclusions: The partial lockdown in Bangladesh due to the COVID-19 pandemic increased community transmission and worsened the healthcare crisis, economic burden, and loss of GDP despite the resuming of industrial operations. In society, it has created psychosocial and socio-economic insecurity among people due to the loss of lives and livelihoods. The government should take proper inclusive steps for risk assessment, communications, and financial stimulus toward the public to alleviate their fear and anxiety, and to take proper action to boost mental health and well-being.

背景：COVID-19疫情的蔓延、部分封锁、疾病严重程度、医疗体系治理薄弱、医疗设施不足、公众缺乏意识以及大众媒体中错误信息的传播，导致民众普遍感到恐惧和焦虑。本研究旨在通过基于感知的分析，了解孟加拉国在COVID-19疫情背景下的民众心理社会和经济社会危机，以及可能出现的环境危机。方法：在线向18岁及以上孟加拉国公民发布了一项基于感知的调查问卷。样本量为1,066名受访者。数据集通过一系列统计技术进行分析，包括主成分分析和层次聚类分析。结果：COVID-19疫情爆发恐惧与国家医疗体系（p < 0.05）的困境之间存在正相关关系。此外，孟加拉国脆弱的医疗体系与政府应对疫情的能力（p < 0.05）之间存在负相关关系，揭示了医疗体系中治理的不足。封锁和社交距离与因缺乏医疗治疗而失去生命或家庭成员生命的恐惧（p < 0.05）之间存在正相关关系，表明由于关闭正常活动，人们可能经历心理和经济压力。然而，封锁对经济社会的影响与贫困人口的苦难、基本生活必需品价格上涨、正规教育受阻（p < 0.05）以及可能加剧的严重经济社会和健康危机之间存在正相关关系。此外，COVID-19疫情期间/之后，气候变化引发的灾害以及登革热等传染病可能爆发，这将导致严重的粮食不安全（p < 0.01）和进一步的健康危机。结论：由于COVID-19疫情，孟加拉国实施的局部封锁增加了社区传播，加剧了医疗危机、经济负担和GDP的损失，尽管工业运营已恢复。在社会层面，由于生命和生计的丧失，它导致民众产生心理社会和经济社会的不安全感。政府应采取适当的包容性措施进行风险评估、沟通和向公众提供财政刺激，以缓解他们的恐惧和焦虑，并采取适当措施促进心理健康和福祉。