Comparison of The Psychological Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Saudi Nationals Arriving from Foreign Countries during Institutional Quarantine and After Being Released: An Analytical Cross-Sectional Study Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 2021

Background: Being quarantined is an unpleasant experience for the persons who undergo it. Several studies showed there is a high prevalence of mental illnesses during quarantine which range from stress, depression, post-traumatic stress symptoms, irritability, low mood, and insomnia. Objectives: This study aims to estimate the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress due being quarantined for 14 days in individuals who returned to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia from outside the country during COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 at one of the Ministry of Health designated quarantine centers and reassess participants a year after being released from the quarantine center to compare the outcomes. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study that employed 138 participants. Result: In terms of depression, 91 of the 138 individuals were categorized as normal, with 24 and 13 cases scoring mild and severe, respectively. Nine people, on the other hand, received extreme depression ratings based on their responses, with only one case being categorized as really severe depression. Anxiety levels were measured in this study's subjects. Six patients reported severe anxiety throughout the quarantine period, while 15 others had mild anxiety. Fortunately, the number of persons suffering from severe and moderate anxiety decreased after a year, with only one severe case and three reasonable examples left. At the time of quarantine, all 138 people were classified as normal (n=108), mild stress (n=19), or moderate stress (n=11). A year later, 126 people scored normal, ten people scored mild, and just two people rated significantly when their stress levels were assessed. Conclusion: The findings suggest that persons who are not in quarantine, and especially those who are in quarantine, require psychological assistance. People's health is more important than ever before, because a country's development is defined by the well-being of its citizens and investors.