Perception and Anxiety of Indian Population during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Questionnaire-based Survey

Background: The rapid and widespread of the COVID-19 virulent disease has become an important cause of concern among the general public. The declaration of the pandemic has led to a massive public reaction. The perception, anxiety of the general public will perhaps have a major bearing on the course of the coronavirus disease pandemic. Aim: This study aims to assess the perception and anxiety of the Indian population regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted through an online platform (Google form) among the Indian population. A structured questionnaire was prepared to collect data and it took about 6 min to complete the questionnaire, and a total of 351 responses were received. Descriptive (frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation) and inferential (Spearman’s rho correlation coefficient) statistics were used to analyze the collected data. Results: Out of 351 responders, 192 (54.7%) were female, 198 (56.4 %) were aged between 18-29 years, most of them were living in cities, 178 (50.7%), and 239, (68.1%) were graduates and above. Most of the responders 179 (51.0%) were used social media to obtain information regarding COVID-19. More than half of the Indian residents viewed this coronavirus pandemic negatively (58%) and half of them (51.3%) were had a mild level of anxiety; nearly 29% had a moderate level of anxiety, few were under (19.9%) severe level anxiety. Conclusion: There is a necessity to exaggerate the understanding and address the mental health issues of people during this COVID-19 pandemic.