Ticos show greater resilience against Covid-19

QCOSTARICA – While new cases of covid-19 and regrettable deaths continue daily in Costa Rica, 25% of the population experiences high resilience and approximately 40%, very high resilience, compared to 12.5% of people with low resilience and 1.4% very low resilience.

This, according to the results of the study on mental health developed by the Universidad Estatal a Distancia (UNED) and the Universidad Nacional (UNA). The condition is stronger in women than in men.

The study “Salud mental y relaciones con el entorno en tiempos de Covid-19”  (Mental health and relations with the environment in times of Covid-19) provided new data, in an investigation supported by the Ministry of Health, theCaja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) and experts from Spain.

The data collected indicate percentages of 28% high resilience and 36% very high resilience for women, compared to 23% and 43% respectively for men.

Meanwhile, people aged 50 and over present the highest percentages of resilience, with 71% for people aged 50 to 59; 80% in those between 60 and 69 years old, and 100% in people over 70 years old.

“The people with the lowest percentages in very high resilience are those aged 30 to 39 years (19%) and 40 to 49 years (30%),” said Eva Carazo, lead researcher,

These study data come from a sample of 1,262 people, who completed an online questionnaire, from March to September 2021, in their first measurement of the year and the third since the investigation began.