A Cross-sectional Study of Depression, Anxiety and Stress in Mongolians During COVID-19 Lockdowns

Mongolia remained one of the few countries with no registered cases of the COVID-19 virus for most of 2020. However, the number spiked after the first registered case, which was imported from abroad by a foreign individual. As a result, the Mongolian government implemented multiple lockdown restrictions, which impacted the overall mental health and well-being of the population. The purpose of this study was to investigate depression, anxiety and stress levels in the Mongolian population (n = 344) during lockdowns using a Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale (DASS-21) scale that included factors such as the health and well-being of loved ones, financial status and anhedonia. This study also aimed at establishing relationships between depression, anxiety, stress and the tendency to seek social support using an Oslo Social Support Scale (OSSS-3) scale. Participants who scored highest on depression, anxiety and stress tended to seek social support less. The findings increase understanding of the impact of social factors on mental well-being during global health crises and have implications for how governments can better approach the management of these issues.