A crisis amidst many others: COVID-19 response satisfaction during the economic collapse and post-Beirut port explosion in Lebanon 10.55131/jphd/2024/220102
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Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic in Lebanon has been compounded by the economic collapse and devastating Beirut port explosion, leading to a severe humanitarian crisis. This study aimed to assess the satisfaction of the Lebanese population with the government's response to the pandemic and evaluate the public perception of the economic crisis and the Beirut port blast's impact on the COVID-19 situation. This is a web-based cross-sectional study that utilized a self-administered questionnaire comprising closed-ended questions with predefined response options. To identify predictors of the governmental response score, a multiple linear regression analysis was conducted. A total of 2,384 participants were enrolled, with a mean COVID-SCORE of 15.38 ± 5.28 (out of 40 points). The majority of participants (2,163, 90.7%) expressed mistrust in the Lebanese government's ability to effectively address unexpected health threats related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Two-thirds of the participants (1,849, 77.6%) believed that the economic crisis had impacted the government's response to the pandemic. Nearly 70% of the participants perceived that the Beirut port explosion contributed to COVID-19 transmission. Government mistrust, along with the economic crisis impact, were significantly associated with lower satisfaction scores (P < 0.001). This study revealed a significant level of dissatisfaction among the Lebanese population regarding the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, underscoring a lack of trust in its ability to effectively manage the crisis. The compounding challenges arising from the Beirut port explosion, economic collapse, and depleted resources have further impeded Lebanon's ability to navigate the pandemic successfully. Urgent interventions and collaborative efforts are required to effectively manage the economic and political repercussions, rebuild a resilient healthcare system, and alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon.
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