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.

研究背景：新冠疫情（COVID-19 pandemic）的蔓延、局部封控措施、疾病严重程度、医疗卫生体系治理乏力、医疗设施不足、公众认知匮乏以及大众媒体上虚假信息的传播，均导致民众产生恐惧与焦虑情绪。本研究旨在针对孟加拉国新冠疫情背景下民众的社会心理与社会经济危机，以及潜在的环境危机开展基于感知视角的分析，以全面了解相关状况。

研究方法：本研究面向18周岁及以上孟加拉国公民线上发放基于感知视角的调查问卷，最终纳入1066份有效样本。数据集通过主成分分析（Principal Component Analysis）、分层聚类分析（Hierarchical Cluster Analysis）等一系列统计方法进行分析处理。

研究结果：该国民众对新冠疫情暴发的恐惧与本就运转艰难的医疗卫生体系之间存在显著正相关关系（p < 0.05）。此外，孟加拉国脆弱的医疗卫生体系与政府应对疫情的能力之间呈显著负相关关系（p < 0.05），这揭示了该国医疗卫生体系治理水平低下的现状。封控措施与社交距离要求与民众因医疗资源匮乏而产生的失去自身或家人生命的恐惧呈显著正相关（p < 0.05），这表明因关停日常运营的决策，民众正承受着心理与经济双重压力。进一步来看，封控带来的社会经济影响与贫困群体的苦难、基本生活物资涨价、正规教育受阻均呈显著正相关（p < 0.05），且严峻的社会经济与健康危机的可能性将进一步加剧。此外，在新冠疫情期间及之后，存在气候变化诱发灾害以及登革热等传染病暴发的风险，这将引发严重的粮食不安全问题（p < 0.01），并进一步加剧医疗卫生体系危机。

研究结论：尽管孟加拉国后续恢复了工业运营，但该国因新冠疫情实施的局部封控措施加剧了社区传播，且恶化了医疗卫生危机、经济负担与国内生产总值（GDP）损失。在社会层面，疫情与封控措施因生命与生计的丧失，引发了民众的社会心理与社会经济不安全问题。政府应采取恰当的包容性举措，开展风险评估、信息沟通并向公众提供财政刺激，以缓解民众的恐惧与焦虑情绪，同时采取有效措施促进公众心理健康与福祉提升。