COVID-19 Fear Reduces Quality of Life for Gaza Strip Residents

A cross‑sectional study of 979 adults in the Gaza Strip examined how fear of COVID‑19, depression, anxiety, stress and social support relate to quality of life (QoL). The findings show that higher fear of COVID‑19, along with greater depressive, anxious and stress symptoms, are associated with lower QoL scores. Female gender, lower education and lower income also correlate with reduced QoL. Hierarchical regression analysis indicates that fear of COVID‑19 alone explains 22.5 % of the variance in QoL, while depression accounts for 21.5 %, perceived emotional support 18.5 %, income 15.4 % and instrumental support 14.8 %. The authors suggest that policymakers should address these mental‑health impacts when designing psychosocial interventions in the region.