Eight in 10 Filipinos are highly stressed over COVID-19 and it is most pronounced among those who are hungry or jobless during these unprecedented times, according to an opinion poll that provided yet another glimpse of the pandemic's human fallout. However 4% claim to be stress-free.
Psychological helplines have been established to help the public deal with the outbreak, as quarantine restrictions entered the fourth month of implementation in July. Cases are rising, brought about by the lifting of some curbs last June and President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to outline his COVID strategy for the rest of the year during his State of the Nation Address on July 27.
Out of 1,555 respondents in a July 3 to 6 Social Weather Stations poll, 51% said they experienced "great" stress while 35% said they suffered from "much" stress. This added up to to 86% who had "high" stress, the pollster said. Seven percent said they had "little" stress while 4% claimed no stress. The numbers were little changed from the May 4 to 10 poll.
Sixty-two percent of those who said they went hungry in the last three months because they had nothing to eat also reported having "great" stress. Fifty-five percent of those who don't have a job or never had a job also claimed to have "great" stress. The highest stress levels were recorded in Metro Manila and the Visayas, the SWS said.
Among men, 49% reported "great" stress compared to 52% among women. Stress was also "great" across age groups, 18 tp 24 (41%), 25 to 34 (55%), 35 to 44 (55%), 45 to 54 (52%) and 55 and above (45%).
