‘Kuwait saw 60pct spike in anxiety’
Dr Jafar on psychological toll of pandemic
Dr Hana Jafar is a young Kuwaiti woman of many parts. A doctor, fitness coach and an entrepreneur, she is also the Chairperson of Heroes for Hearts, a non-profit organization that trains and empowers local communities in CPR/ AED/ First Aid skills. The young doctor’s enthusiasm and zest for life is infectious. She successfully juggles her various identities with effective time management. In the near future, Dr Jafar wants to further specialize in psychiatry, as she believes mental disorders to be the most common cause of disability in the world, especially in the context of the pandemic. COVID-19 has affected day to day lives of humans in an unprecedented way. Apart from the physical ramifications, the pandemic is slowing down the global economy, disrupting world trade and movement, and threatening mental health. Social distancing and extraordinary levels of uncertainty and fear is impacting mental health worldwide. Studies have shown that people are experiencing worse mental health problems than before the pandemic – high symptoms of stress, anxiety, depression and posttraumatic stress disorder.
To better analyze the psychological burden of the pandemic and the associated lockdown, Dr Jafer worked on a survey that measured the prevalence of depression and anxiety in Kuwait. Dr Jafar, who is with Mubarak Al Kabeer Hospital, is also a COVID survivor. Along with her husband, a medical practitioner, she caught the virus and fought it.
Pandemic
Here, Dr Jafar speaks of her many areas of activities, her fight with Corona and her study of mental health conditions in the pandemic.
Arab Times: You are a doctor, fitness instructor, and an entrepreneur – how do you balance so many hats and which identity of yours is most important?
Dr Jafar: This is probably the question I get asked the most! Time management is definitely one of my strengths. No matter what it is that someone would like to do, if they make that goal a priority - they will be able to juggle it. I made coaching a priority even when I was swarmed with studying during my university years, and it was one of the most rewarding decisions I ever made. I would say all three are equally important. They all define who I am, and without these aspects of my life, I wouldn’t be myself. I do have to say that first and foremost, however, I am a doctor, and that is something I always keep in mind.
AT: You want to specialize in psychiatry – Any reason for this?
Dr Jafar: Mental disorders as of 2020 are the most common cause of disability in the world. Despite this, there is surprisingly not much known about the cause of most psychiatric disorders, or how they really work. I am very interested in the field of research in psychiatry. Psychiatric disorders can affect the patient’s relationship with themselves and with others. It can be almost impossible for them to function normally. Treating these disorders allows them to re-establish their relationships and even go back to having a job, a romantic relationship, and anything else they choose. I find the treatment aspect of psychiatry to be the most gratifying of all the medical fields.
AT: As a layperson, one feels that mental health is still a taboo subject in Kuwait, and there are lots to be done in the field of psychiatry in Kuwait in terms of services and treatment. Am I right?
Therapy
Dr Jafar: Yes, we definitely still have a long way to go in terms of acceptance of psychiatric disorders and not marginalizing people who have them. I do believe that recently this has improved, and more people are opening up to the idea of therapy and psychiatric treatment in Kuwait.
AT: I believe you worked on a survey that studied the psychological burden of the pandemic recently.
Dr Jafar: Some of my colleagues and I noticed a significant change in the mental health of people around us during the full lockdown. More specifically - increased anxiety levels and obsessive usage of social media. We decided we wanted to quantify the data, so we created a survey to measure the prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms among people in Kuwait which was shared during the last five days of the full lockdown. We had over 4,000 participants, and we found that there was a significant increase in depressive and anxiety symptoms during that time. Those who were single, not working at the time, not exercising, spending more time on social media than in the past, and who had a history of psychiatric disorders were more likely to experience depressive or anxiety symptoms.
AT: How difficult or challenging has the past six months been for you? How has it impacted you?
Dr Jafar: I actually believe I took the past six months very well, considering. I recently conducted a study with some colleagues on the mental impact of Covid-19. We found that anxiety increased by up to 60% in Kuwait following the introduction of the curfew and other restrictions. I believe that engaging in my usual routine (as much as I could), and exercising regularly kept my mood high.
AT: You are a fitness instructor. Were you able to carry on with your work during the lockdown?
Fitness
Dr Jafar: Surprisingly, my success grew as a fitness instructor during the lockdown. I transitioned from face to face to virtual classes quite quickly and was able to meet countless new people in the process. I believe online fitness is here to stay for the long run.
AT: You are also President of Heroes for Hearts - how active is this organization in Kuwait?
Dr Jafar: Before COVID happened, we were very active. We have trained over 500 people in Kuwait in bystander CPR, and we were one of the most successful branches. Recently, we have had to put all training on hold due to the restrictions of social distancing.
AT: You contracted the virus. What were your symptoms? What was the recovery process like?
Dr Jafar: I had no symptoms. Other than feeling slightly more tired than usual, I was completely fine. My husband, on the other hand, had more severe symptoms, and that’s why we both got tested. Because we were one of the first people to contract the virus, we were put in Jaber Hospital for over 20 days until our swabs came out negative. It definitely was not fun to be locked in a hospital room, but it taught me a lot about patience and having a positive mindset.
AT: You contracted the virus almost together if I am not mistaken. Were both your journeys with the virus the same or was it different?
Dr Jafar: It was completely different. I was asymptomatic, while my husband had a full-blown picture of the virus, with a cough, fever, shortness of breath, and other symptoms. It’s interesting to see how differently the virus affects each person.
AT: As a doctor, how well do you think Kuwait has handled the pandemic?
Dr Jafar: I believe that no country dealt with the pandemic perfectly. It was an unprecedented event and has completely changed the world. I think that Kuwait tried to do what was in everyone’s best interest, whether we realize it or not.