COVID-19 Fear, Mental Health, and Substance Use Among Israeli University Students

Emotional experiences and study motivation among Italian university students during the second wave of COVID-19

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the relationships between emotional experiences and study motivation in a group of nonworking and never-infected university students, during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants: Participants (N = 353; aged M = 21.5; SD = 2.8) were mostly female (76.2%) Italian university students. Methods: They completed an online assessment that included self-report measures of fear during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, intolerance of uncertainty, optimism, and study motivation. Results: Our findings showed that older students were more optimistic than younger students. Besides, fear of COVID-19, intolerance of uncertainty, and pessimism predicted worse study motivation. Conclusions: Greater psychological support should be reserved for younger students to prevent emotional experiences that might affect the learning goal.

Impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns on the education and mental health of physiotherapy students in France: a descriptive cross-sectional study with national online survey

OBJECTIVE

To determine the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic and lockdowns on the mental health status, training, perceptions of the physiotherapy profession, and career plans of French physiotherapy students.

DESIGN

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted, representing the first and only survey of its kind, using a national online survey.

SUBJECTS

A total of 2678 French physiotherapy students participated in the study.

METHODS

Mental health status was assessed using the validated French versions of established depression, anxiety, and insomnia scales.

RESULTS

The survey revealed that female sex, age below 21 years, living alone, and having a psychiatric history or COVID-19 risk factors were associated with more severe symptoms of depression, anxiety, and insomnia in the surveyed students. In addition, stress, anxiety, and depression induced by the COVID-19 crisis were linked to apprehension about continuing practical training in physiotherapy. These factors also affected students' perceptions of the profession and the initially envisioned mode of practice, particularly among fifth-year students (odds ratio (OR) = 2.25, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = (1.69, 2.99), p < 0.001). Notably, the pandemic significantly reduced the desire of these students to pursue a career as physiotherapists (adjusted OR (aOR) 1.41 (1.06, 1.86)).

CONCLUSION

French physiotherapy students, especially those in their fifth year, have experienced significant impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, affecting their mental health, education, perceptions of the physiotherapy profession, and career plans.

Profiles of digital health literacy among university students and its association with mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: A latent profile analysis

Objective

Investigating the digital health literacy of university students can facilitate their effective acquisition of health information and adoption of appropriate protective behaviors. This study aims to explore the subtypes of digital health literacy among university students during the COVID-19 pandemic and their association with mental health outcomes.

Methods

From 17 November to 14 December 2022, a stratified random sampling approach was used to conduct an online questionnaire survey on digital health literacy, fear of COVID-19, and depression status among students at Jilin University, China. A total of 1060 valid responses were obtained in the survey. Latent profile analysis identified subtypes of digital health literacy and linear regression analyses were used to examine the association of digital health literacy to the mental health outcome.

Results

Three latent profiles were identified: Profile 1-low digital health literacy (n = 66, 6.23%), Profile 2-moderate digital health literacy (n = 706, 66.60%), and Profile 3-high digital health literacy (n = 288, 27.17%). Results from linear regression demonstrated a negative correlation between digital health literacy and fear of COVID-19 (B = -2.954, P < 0.001) as well as depression (B = -2.619, P < 0.001) among university students.

Conclusions

This study indicated that the majority of university students exhibit a moderate level of digital health literacy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the study validates a negative correlation between digital health literacy and mental health among university students.

Suicide risk among undergraduate students in Brazil in the periods before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: results of the SABES-Grad national survey

BACKGROUND

Undergraduate students present high rates of psychological distress, including suicide risk. Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, this scenario may have been aggravated. Thus, the objective of the current study was to evaluate changes in the suicide risk rate from the period before to during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the factors associated with this outcome among Brazilian undergraduate students.

METHODS

This was a nationwide survey carried out in Brazil with a cross-sectional design, including two data collection periods: a single-center in-person collection in 2019 and another multicenter online collection in 2020/2021. Data were collected using self-administered instruments. The outcome was a high risk of suicide, measured through the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Analyses were carried out on data from two periods, i.e. before and during the pandemic (bivariate analysis and interaction tests), and a model of associated factors (multivariate analysis using Poisson regression) was developed including all participating universities distributed in the five regions of Brazil.

RESULTS

In total, 6716 Brazilian undergraduate students participated (996 in 2019 and 5720 in 2020/2021). The prevalence of a high suicide risk rose from 11.3% to 17.0%, especially among women and poorer individuals. The prevalence of a high risk of suicide among Brazilian undergraduates was 19.6% and was associated with several socioeconomic, academic, pandemic, and mental health factors.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of a high suicide risk increased from prepandemic to during the pandemic, appearing to be largely influenced by social determinants, in conjunction with the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Distance Learning in Nursing Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Psychosocial Impact for the Greek Nursing Students-A Qualitative Approach

(1) Background: The COVID-19 pandemic posed a major threat to global health and on the educational field. The purpose of this study is to identify and illustrate the psychosocial adaptation of nursing students to the sudden and exclusive application of distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic; (2) Methods: A qualitative interview research has been designed. Two focus groups of seven members each and six individual interviews were conducted in a sample of undergraduate nursing students in Greece from 3 March 2021, to 9 April 2021.; (3) Results: A qualitative thematic analysis of the data identified six themes: 1. Challenges; 2. Concerns; 3. Social changes; 4. Negative Emotions; 5. Evaluation; and 6. Teaching strategies.; (4) Conclusions: During its implementation, it identified gaps and weaknesses in the entire academic community. The study of the psychosocial adaptation of the academic community is considered crucial, as it can highlight the individual difficulties in distance learning and contribute to the improvement of the methods of its the improvement of its methods.

How does social support relate to emotional availability for learning during COVID-19? A multi-group structural equation model of university students from the U.S. and Israel

Given the social and emotional tolls of the COVID-19 pandemic on college and university students, many students have become academically disengaged during the pandemic. Although some colleges and universities have the capacity to promote social support for their students, research has yet to comprehensively demonstrate the relationship between social support and academic engagement. To fill this gap, we leverage survey results from four universities across the United States and Israel. Through multi-group structural equation modelling, we explore (a) how perceived social support relates to being emotionally unavailable for learning, (b) how this relationship is partially explained through coping and COVID-19 concerns, and (c) how these relationships can differ across countries. We find that students who perceived higher levels of social support had lower rates of being emotionally unavailable for learning. Part of this relationship occurred through greater rates of coping and, subsequently, fewer concerns about the pandemic. We also noticed significant differences in these relationships between countries. We conclude with a discussion of study implications for higher education policies and practices.

COVID-19-Related Stress, Fear and Online Teaching Satisfaction among Nursing Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on mental health, particularly among students, due to COVID-19-related fear and also the transition from traditional to online lectures. In this questionnaire-based study, the COVID-19 Stress Scales (CSS), the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), and the Online Teaching Satisfaction Scale were used to assess COVID-19-related fear, stress, and overall satisfaction with online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic among nursing students in Serbia. A total of 167 students participated in the study, whose mean age was 21.3 ± 5.3, and the majority of whom were female and first-year students. Overall, most students experienced moderate to extremely high COVID-19-related stress levels. Overall, first-year and fourth-year students scored significantly lower regarding the Xenophobia and Traumatic stress subscales than second-year and third-year students, whereas first-year students also scored significantly lower on the Danger and Contamination subscales. First-year students experienced less COVID-19-related fear compared to senior students. Students were reasonably satisfied with online teaching. A stratified program is needed to prevent further decline of students' mental health and to improve their adaptation through public, health, and educational changes.

COVID-19 Fear Impact on Israeli and Maltese Female "Help" Profession Students

BACKGROUND

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine the impact of COVID-19 fear on the well-being of Israeli and Maltese female "help" profession (e.g., social work and psychology) undergraduate students. This cross-national comparison includes factors of depression, anxiety, anger, loneliness, nervousness, substance use, eating behavior, burnout, and resilience. The study hypothesis is that country status, even with different social-cultural characteristics including religiosity, is not a significant factor associated with COVID-19 fear impact on select behavioral characteristics of female university students.

METHODS

A total of 453 female "help" profession students completed an online survey from January to July 2021. Various statistical methods of analysis including regression were used for this study.

RESULTS

The mean COVID-19 fear scores were the same among Israeli and Maltese students. Resilience was found to be higher among Israeli females; burnout was found to be higher among those from Malta. Substance use (i.e., tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, stimulants, or prescription drugs) in the last month was reported by 77.2% of the respondents. No significant differences were found for previous-month substance use based on country status. Regardless of country, respondents who reported more previous-month substance use had higher COVID-19 fear and burnout scores, as well as lower resilience. Due to COVID-19, most respondents (74.3%) reported deterioration of their psycho-emotional well-being in the last month; however, no significant differences were found based on country and religiosity statuses. Furthermore, no significant differences were found for eating behavior changes and weight increase based on country and religiosity statuses.

CONCLUSION

Study findings showed the impact of COVID-19 fear on the well-being of Israeli and Maltese female "help" profession undergraduate students. This study examined only female students; however, additional research is needed to address male students and their experiences. Prevention and treatment intervention measures aimed to increase resilience and decrease burnout, including those that can be made available on campus, should be thought about by university administration personnel and student association leaders in consultation with mental health professionals.

Assessment of Level of Depression and Associated Factors among COVID-19-Recovered Patients: a Cross-Sectional Study

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has psychological consequences such as increased risk of depression, anxiety, and stress problems, exacerbating human health disparities. This study aimed to analyze depression and its causes in COVID-19-recovered patients in Bangladesh. A cross-sectional study was conducted on COVID-19-recovered patients who attended follow-up visits after 14 days to 3 months at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) and Dhaka North City Corporation Hospital (DNCCH), Dhaka, Bangladesh, from 1 January to 31 December 2021. Respondents were face-to-face interviewed with a semistructured questionnaire after written agreement. The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) was used to assess respondents' depression, and data were analyzed using SPSS version 23, with a P value of <0.05 indicating statistical significance. A total of 325 COVID-19-recovered patients aged from 15 to 65 years (mean, 44.34 ± 13.87 years) were included in this study, the highest proportion (23.1%) of them were aged 46 to 55 years, and the majority (61.5%) of them were male. There were 69.5% of respondents who had no signs of depression while 31% of them did have signs, with 26.7% being mildly depressed, 2.5% being extremely depressed, and 1.2% being severely depressed. Diabetes mellitus, hospitalization duration, social distancing, social media posts on COVID-19, loss of employment, family damage, and fear of reinfection were significantly associated with depression level of respondents. This study gives us a glimpse into the psychological health of COVID-19-recovered patients, and its findings highlight the imperative of alleviating their psychological anguish in Bangladesh. IMPORTANCE The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant psychological impact on healthy populations, with increased depression, perceived stress, posttraumatic stress disorder, and insomnia reported. The COVID-19 pandemic affects people's mental health by instilling fear of infection and depression. In the post-COVID-19 syndrome, depressive symptoms and clinically significant depression may have serious consequences for quality-of-life outcomes. To combat the spread of COVID-19, the Bangladesh government has implemented a number of measures, including lockdown, social distancing, self-isolation, and quarantine. Given the negative consequences, it is critical to investigate potential factors and mechanisms that may shed light on mental health improvement. The purpose of the study is to determine the level of depression in patients 3 months after recovering from acute COVID-19. The study's findings highlight the need for COVID-19-infected people in Bangladesh to receive health education and interventions.

The development and validation of the pandemic medication-assisted treatment questionnaire for the assessment of pandemic crises impact on medication management and administration for patients with opioid use disorders

Pandemic and the globally applied restriction measures mainly affect vulnerable population groups, such as patients with opioid use disorders. Towards inhibiting SARS-Cov-2 spread, the medication-assisted treatment (MAT) programs follow strategies targeting the reduction of in-person psychosocial interventions and an increase of take-home doses. However, there is no available instrument to examine the impact of such modifications on diverse health aspects of patients under MAT. The aim of this study was to develop and validate the PANdemic Medication-Assisted Treatment Questionnaire (PANMAT/Q) to address the pandemic effect on the management and administration of MAT. In total, 463 patients under ΜΑΤ participated. Our findings indicate that PANMAT/Q has been successfully validated exerting reliability and validity. It can be completed within approximately 5 min, and its implementation in research settings is advocated. PANMAT/Q could serve as a useful tool to identify the needs of patients under MAT being at high risk of relapse and overdose.

Experience of COVID-19 disease and fear of the SARS-CoV-2 virus among Polish students

Background

The SARS-CoV-2 virus pandemic has significantly affected individuals and entire societies. It has caused a number of adverse consequences for public health. It has contributed to lower average life expectancy and significantly reduced the sense of health security. It has affected not only physical but also mental health. COVID-19 infections have become so common in many countries, including Poland, that almost every member of society has either experienced it themselves or has a family member or friend who have been affected by the disease. The investigations undertaken in the article concern the fear of COVID-19 infection among Polish university students, determined by the experience of the disease -whether direct or among loved ones.

Methods

An online survey was conducted with 851 students. It took place between 1 and 15 March 2021, a year after detection of the first case of infection with the virus in Poland. The aim of the study was to find out about the relationship between the experience of COVID-19 disease (whether direct or among people close to the respondent) and fear of this disease among university students in Poland. The analysis used intergroup comparison tests (Mann-Whitney U Test and t-test).

Results

The results indicate that the level of fear of COVID-19 among Polish university students was low (M = 1.98; SD = .49), with women (M = 2.04; SD = .75) presenting statistically higher (t (620.46) = 3.05; p = .002) fear than men (M = 1.87; SD = .74). The situation of the respondent having had a close person fall ill with COVID-19 or die as a result of coronavirus infection was found to be significant for the level of experienced fear of COVID-19 in the studied group (t (469.46) = -2.98; p = .003).

Conclusions

The significantly higher level of fear in the group of young people who knew someone close with severe (fatal) COVID-19 disease indicates that psychological support may be more significant for such people than for individuals who have not experienced such a situation. A similar conclusion can be formulated taking into account the gender criterion, as the results make it possible to predict that women expect more support in a pandemic situation.

Intersecting Race and Gender Across Hardships and Mental Health During COVID-19: A Moderated-Mediation Model of Graduate Students at Two Universities

While the effects of the pandemic on the mental health of college students can vary across race and gender, few studies have explored the role of hardships and university assistance in these disparities, as well as how these disparities can manifest themselves differently across intersections of race and gender. We address this gap by using unique survey data (n = 417) from two large graduate schools of social work, public health, and social policy in the United States. Using multi-group structural equation modeling, we explore how material hardships, academic hardships, and university assistance needed mediates the relationship between race and mental health, including depression and anxiety. We also explore how gender moderates these relationships. We find that Black students are directly related to material hardships and-through these hardships-indirectly related to increased depression, indicating mediation. However, material hardships did not mediate the relationship between race and anxiety. Furthermore, while academic hardships mediated the relationships between race and depression, as well as race and anxiety, these relationships were only significant for females, indicating moderated-mediation. Moreover, although university assistance needed mediated the relationship between race and depression for females only, university assistance needed mediated the relationship between race and anxiety for both males and females. We close with implications for policy and practice.

COVID-19-Related Predictors of Fear and Attitude to Vaccination Displayed by Polish Students

Vaccines are one of the most important achievements of modern medicine in maintaining the health of the population. The prolonged pandemic and subsequent lockdowns meant that the new COVID-19 vaccine was regarded by scientists and society as the way to end the pandemic and return to normal life. The purpose of this study was to analyze the factors responsible for the feeling of fear due to COVID-19 infection and the attitudes of medical students towards vaccination against COVID-19. A cross-sectional study was conducted online among medical students using standardized questionnaires: the Fear of COVID-19 scale and the Vaccination Attitude Examination scale. According to the results obtained, the respondents had a low level of fear of COVID-19 and the majority had positive attitudes towards vaccination against COVID-19. Regression analysis showed that the main predictors of fear of the pandemic and attitudes towards vaccination were age, sex, field of study, and sources of knowledge about vaccines. The analysis of factors related to the discussed issues can be the basis to formulate educational and preventive programs, to shape positive attitudes of future health sector employees toward the issue of preventive vaccination, as well as for the development of strategies to promote vaccination against COVID-19.

High Stress Levels and Trust toward the Government Are Associated with More Positive Attitudes toward COVID-19 Vaccines among French Students: A Pilot Study

Mistrust in COVID-19 vaccines may hinder vaccination campaigns. We looked at cognitive determinants of vaccination intentions against COVID-19. We were interested in (i) the effects of stress and (ii) the effects of self-protection systems on attitudes and intentions to get COVID-19 vaccines. We conducted an online observational pilot study with 203 participants and used self-report questionnaires to assess perceived stress and vulnerability to disease, beliefs about a dangerous world, pandemic-related stressors, living conditions, attitudes and intentions toward the vaccines and trust in government management of the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants reporting high levels of trust in government and high levels of stress were more likely to have positive attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines, although these two effects are at least partially independent of each other. We discuss how to improve the communication around COVID-19 vaccine policies.

Exploring Reddit conversations about mental health difficulties among college students during the COVID-19 pandemic

Objective: We aimed to explore conversations about mental health difficulties by Reddit users who posted within college subreddits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants: Data were collected from the subreddits of 22 California campuses, representing 113,579 anonymous members. Using the following search terms, we retrieved 577 posts (ie, 268 original posts and 309 replies): COVID, Coronavirus, Quarantine, Pandemic, Anxiety, Anxious, Depressed, Depression, Overwhelmed, Stress, and Stressed. Methods: We used inductive, thematic data analysis to explore themes within posts and replies dated from 3/16/2020 to 3/16/2021. Results: We identified the following themes: 1) the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted engagement with learning; 2) remote learning has exacerbated students' mental health difficulties; and 3) students provide and receive social support online. Conclusions: These findings have implications that are particularly relevant as campuses are faced with continuous decisions related to repopulation.

Work-from-home (WFH) during COVID-19 pandemic – A netnographic investigation using Twitter data

Purpose

This paper aims to create a better understanding of the challenges posed by work from home (WFH) during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, to investigate the public sentiment toward this transition, and to develop a conceptual model incorporating the relationships among the factors that influence the effectiveness of WFH.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses netnography method to collect data from the Twitter platform and uses Python programming language, Natural Language Processing techniques and IBM SPSS 26 to conduct sentiment analysis and directed content analysis on the data. The findings are combined with an extensive review of the remote work literature to develop a conceptual model.

Findings

Results show the majority of tweets about WFH during the pandemic are positive and objective with technology and cyber security as the most repeated topics in the tweets. New challenges to WFH during pandemic include future uncertainty, health concerns, home workspaces, self-isolation, lack of recreational activities and support mechanisms. In addition, exhaustion and technostress mediate the relationship between the antecedents and outcomes of WFH during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, the fear of pandemic and coping strategies moderates these relationships.

Originality/value

This paper is one of the first efforts to comprehensively investigate the challenges of WFH during a crisis and to extend the remote work literature by developing a conceptual model incorporating the moderating effects of fear of pandemic and coping strategies. Moreover, it is the first paper to investigate the tweeting behavior of different user types on Twitter who shared posts about WFH during the ongoing pandemic.

Distress and Well-Being Among Psychiatric Patients in the Aftermath of the First COVID-19 Lockdown in Israel: A Longitudinal Study

Objectives: Studies assessing the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on psychiatric patients have mostly focused on cross-sectional evaluations of differences in levels of distress. In this study, we aimed to assess changes in distress and well-being following the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak as compared with pre-pandemic levels, as well as potential predictors of symptomatic deterioration, among psychiatric outpatients treated in a public mental health hospital in Israel.

Methods: Patients evaluated for distress and well-being before the pandemic (n = 55) were re-evaluated at the end of the first lockdown in Israel.

Results: Analyses revealed a significant decrease in the patients’ sense of personal growth. Increases in distress were significantly associated with fear of COVID-19 beyond patient characteristics.

Conclusion: These results suggest that the pandemic has a short-term effect on patients’ well-being, and that fear of the pandemic is associated with elevations in distress.

Mental health of university students during the pandemic. Threats to their mental health and proposals for university student support in Poland

Purpose

The article is an application report. It focuses on the mental health difficulties currently experienced by university students in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have a significant impact on the study process. The work also presents examples of support implemented at higher education institutions during the pandemic, aimed at maintaining and strengthening students' mental health.

Views

Mental health is closely related to physical/somatic health, among other things, in terms of health behaviour and immuno-logical processes. Thus, any physical, life-threatening and therefore life-altering illness has a potentially negative impact on an individual's overall mental health. A pandemic such as COVID-19 in 2020 is a potential additional risk factor for mental health that is not yet well understood. Pandemic-related changes such as remote learning, reduced interpersonal contact, the uncertainty surrounding this pandemic of unknown magnitude, as well as its dynamic and often surprising course may have an impact on the functioning of young people and their daily activities, including studying.

Conclusions

It is essential to monitor mental health in different population groups, including students-young adults, specifically in relation to the threat of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection, prevention activities and the treatment of COVID-19 patients. It is important to introduce parallel activities to support students' mental health, in line with the sanitary regime, e.g. by using new technologies.

Anxiety and Coping Stress Strategies in Researchers During COVID-19 Pandemic

The current COVID-19 pandemic has affected the whole world, leading to changes in one's personal and working life. Researchers have undergone extensive changes in their roles, mainly in the area of health care, with research into the virus now the priority.

Aim

To assess the anxiety, depression, stress, fears, and coping strategies of Portuguese researchers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Participants and Methods

A total of 243 researchers, with an average age of 37.9 ± 9.6, participated in an online questionnaire. The study was performed between 1 June 2021 and 11 August 2021. The questionnaire included depression, anxiety, and stress (DASS-21), fear of COVID-19 scale (FCV-19S), and coping inventory for stressful situations (CISS).

Results

The findings suggest being female and younger seem to be related to more significant fears. Singles and younger researchers showed higher values of stress, depression, and anxiety. Research areas, such as medical and health sciences, presented higher levels in the DASS-21 depression and stress scale (p < 0.05). Also, the results showed a moderate or moderate strong significant positive linear relationship between the scales (p < 0.001): DASS-21 stress, DASS-21 anxiety, and DASS-21 depression (r > 0.70); CISS-21 emotional-oriented with DASS-21 stress (r = 0.683), DASS-21 depression (r = 0.622), and DASS-21 anxiety (r = 0.557); and emotional fear and cognitive fear (r = 0.652).

Conclusion

The findings of this study support the growing concern for the psychological well-being of researchers and the need for intervention with more extensive and diverse studies.

The Psychological Well-Being of University Students amidst COVID-19 Pandemic: Scoping review, systematic review and meta-analysis

This review aimed to summarise the current evidence relating to university students' psychological well-being amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. A scoping review, using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines, was first conducted to determine if the evidence can be systematically reviewed and meta-analysed. The search was performed via Google Scholar, MEDLINE/PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus and Web of Science. A total of 90 original articles were selected for the scoping review. Meta-analysis of a total of 46,284 cases revealed an overall pooled prevalence rate of 29.1% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 20.9-39.0; K = 9, N = 22357) for anxiety symptoms and 23.2% (95% CI: 15.7-32.9; K = 12, N = 23927) for depression symptoms. This data revealed that COVID-19 had a significant impact on university students' psychological well-being.

Health literacy and fear among Iranian medical students due to COVID-19: An observational study

INTRODUCTION

The coronavirus disease of the 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has created a sense of fear due to uncertainties in medical students' personal and professional lives. Medical education is challenging and poses a more significant academic and emotional rigor when compared with other professional programs. With the COVID-19 having limited treatment options, health literacy (HL) is crucial for managing and responding to the pandemic. This research aims to examine the impact of HL on COVID-19-associated fear among Iranian medical students.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted measuring the HL and fear of COVID-19 using validated scales. Two hundred and seventy-eight survey responses were received and analyzed descriptively by using SPSS software inferential statistics.

RESULTS

Mean age of participants was 22.93 ± 5.427 years. The correlation between students' total health literacy (HELIA) scores and their fear of COVID-19 (FCV-19S) scores was -0.279 (p value = .019). The FCV-19S has a negative correlation with total HELIA in the group of females and males, single and married people, bachelor and MD students, and students living in rural areas and urban areas. The negative correlation of FCV-19S with total HELIA in males and students who reside in rural areas was the only one that was not significant. In associate degree students, the correlation between FCV-19S and total HELIA was positive but not significant. Education grades had a significant impact on FCV-19S. Furthermore, the place of residence also had a significant impact on FCV-19S. However, the gender and marital status did not significantly impact FCV-19S.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study showed that students with higher HL scores had lesser fear of COVID-19. The key stakeholders require several positive strategies to reduce fear and improve health, and such vital policies will assist in improving the students' health and achieving the sustainable developmental goals.

Mental health of students of biomedical sciences during the COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping review

Introduction

The coronavirus pandemic led to the closure of schools and colleges in March 2020. Medical and other schools shifted to online teaching-learning and assessment. Several factors have led to mental health problems among biomedical students.

Objectives

This scoping review seeks to identify stressors, delineate subgroups of students who may be at greater risk of mental health problems, and examine possible recommendations by the respondents and the authors to reduce stress levels and support students.

Methods

Eligibility criteria: studies published in English about the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the mental health of health science students till 15th January 2021 were included. Sources of evidence: research articles and other publications obtained using the databases PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Charting methods: the criteria studied were the type of paper and study, the country, the institution, the mental health parameters studied, types and numbers of students/respondents involved, the main message, strengths and weaknesses and the main recommendation of the study.

Results

Thirty articles were included. Stressors were divided into health, workplace, academic, general, and financial apprehensions. Respondents at greater risk were females, below 20 years of age, and those with family/friends infected. Among the authors' recommendations to reduce stress were implementing effective plans to safeguard students' health, especially of those who were parents or interns, engaging in physical activities, workshops for faculty members in online teaching-learning, financial support, online counselling, reducing misinformation, further studies at later stages of the pandemic, and including topics related to the pandemic and pandemic preparedness in the curriculum.

Conclusions

Different types of apprehensions were responsible for stress and mental distress. Females, younger students, students with family and friends who were infected were at greater risk of problems. Recommendations were provided by the authors. Studies from countries which were not represented, and longitudinal studies may be required.

Fear of COVID-19 Among College Students: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background

Mental health issue among college students is routinely a major public health concern, and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may have exacerbated the students' mental health issues which include psychological distress, panic disorder, insomnia, and posttraumatic stress symptoms. However, few studies reached a consensus on the impact of COVID-19 fear on mental health among college students. Therefore, we aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis that quantitatively synthesized the fear among college students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO electronic databases were systematically searched to identify cross-sectional study reporting the state of COVID-19 fear examined by the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) published up until November 20, 2021. Methodological quality was complied with the evaluation criteria of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The random effects model was employed to estimate the pooled mean of FCV-19S score. Subgroup analysis and meta-regression analysis were also conducted. Publication bias was assessed by Begg's test and funnel plot.

Results

A total of 16 studies with a sample size of 11,872 were included. A pooled mean of FCV-19S score was 17.60 [95% confidence interval (CI): 16.41–18.78]. The mean of COVID-19 fear in women (17.11, 95% CI: 16.59–17.64) was higher than that in men (15.21, 95% CI: 14.33–16.08). The highest and lowest pooled means of FCV-19S score were observed in the studies conducted in multiple countries that include Israel, Russian, and Belarus (21.55, 95% CI: 20.77–22.33) and in Europe (16.52, 95% CI: 15.26–17.77), respectively. No significant publication bias was detected by Begg's test.

Conclusions

College students experienced a moderate level of fear caused by COVID-19 pandemic. It is necessary to design and implement prevention programs that target the mental health of college students.

Systematic Review Registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42021287017, identifier: CRD42021287017.

Fintech and Financial Health in Vietnam during the COVID-19 Pandemic: In-Depth Descriptive Analysis

The growing popularity of smartphones and the proliferation of technology have accelerated the development of the digital payment industry. Fintech enables customers to access financial services more efficiently and faster than traditional business, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic due to health protocols, including restrictions on physical contact. This study investigates financial literacy, fintech adoption, and the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the financial health of consumers in Vietnam. The relatively higher level of the unbanked population in Vietnam and the lower level of adult financial literacy compared with the ASEAN region motivated this study. Based on judgment sampling, participants were approached using the mall intercept technique, and those familiar with fintech were selected for the research interview. Thirty participants were interviewed and were given a survey form to be filled online using their mobile phones. Data analysis was conducted using IBM SPSS software version 23. Perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, trust, brand image, government support, user innovativeness, and attitude are found to be significantly correlated with fintech adoption in Vietnam, while financial literacy was found to be not significantly correlated with fintech adoption. Furthermore, further analysis using multiple linear regression revealed user innovativeness and attitude have a positive impact towards fintech adoption, and in contrast, financial literacy showed significant negative impact on fintech. This inverse relationship could indicate that in Vietnam, fintech may play a role of bringing financial inclusion where people with lower financial literacy are able to use technology for financial transactions, which was previously inaccessible to them. This could also mean that Vietnamese with higher financial literacy do not see fintech as an important tool for their financial transactions, as they may already have strong access to traditional financial facilities. This research contributes to knowledge in the field of Fintech adoption in Vietnam at the time of the COVID-19 outbreak. To foster greater financial inclusivity and access for the Vietnamese consumers, policy makers could promote the development of fintech business infrastructure and regulatory sandboxes to foster fintech startups.

Spanish Version of the Revised Mental Health Inventory-5 (R-MHI-5): New Psychometric Evidence from the Classical Test Theory (CTT) and the Item Response Theory Perspective (IRT)

The study’s objective was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the revised version of the MHI-5, for which a sample of 1002 university students of both sexes (41.4% men and 58.6% women) between the ages of 17 to 35 years (M = 21.4; SD = 3.4) was collected. Along with the R-MHI-5, other instruments were applied to measure anxiety and depression. Regarding the results, it was evidenced that the model with two related factors presents better fit indices (CFI = .99; TLI = .99; RMSEA = .071) compared to a one-dimensional model (CFI = .74; TLI = .48; RMSEA = .422). Also, it was found that the factorial structure of the MHI-5 did not show evidence of being strictly invariant for the group of men and women. However, it did show evidence of partial invariance for the group of adolescents and adults. Furthermore, the latent relationships model showed that psychological well-being is negatively related to anxiety (− .25) and depression (− .37), and psychological distress is positively related to anxiety (.85) and depression (.87). From the IRT perspective, all items present adequate discrimination indices, with item 4 being the most accurate item to assess psychological well-being. Regarding psychological distress, items 3 and 5 are the most accurate to assess this dimension. It is concluded that the scale that the R-MHI-5 is an instrument with robust psychometric evidence from the perspective of CTT and IRT.

Fear of Infection and Depressive Symptoms among German University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of COVID-19 International Student Well-Being Study

The COVID-19 pandemic has a significant psychological impact at the population level and fear of infection is one of the stressors involved. The study aimed to examine fear of infection and associations with university students' depressive symptoms, substance use, and social contacts during the COVID-19 outbreak in Germany in May 2020. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted at four German universities (n = 5.021, 69% female, mean age: 24 years) as part of the COVID-19 International Student Well-being Study. Fear of infection was assessed using self-generated items, depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center of Epidemiologic Studies Scale (CES-D-8). Associations between fear of infection and depressive symptoms were analyzed with linear regressions, controlling for sociodemographic variables. A total of 34% of the participants reported feeling worried about getting infected themselves, 75% were worried about someone from their personal network getting infected, and 78% feared that individuals close to them would get severely ill after infection. Sixteen percent of the variance of depressive symptoms could be explained by fear of infection (p ≤ 0.001). Students' fear of infection should be considered in student communication and counseling to prevent worsening of mental health in this population.

Fear of COVID-19 and Its Association With Health Literacy in Elderly Patients

One of the groups most negatively affected by the epidemic process has been the elderly patients. In this process, it is of great importance to determine the fear levels of the patients and to evaluate the factors that may be related. With this approach, this study aimed to examine the relationship between the fear of COVID-19 and health literacy scores of elderly patients living in Kahramanmaraş City, Turkey. Another aim of the study was to investigate whether the participants' COVID-19 fear change according to various socio-demographic characteristics. The convenience sampling method were used and 266 of valid samples were collected. Descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation analysis, simple and multiple linear regression analysis techniques were used. The results obtained from the study showed that COVID-19 fear status of the participants were moderate while the health literacy scores were low. Higher health literacy was associated with lower fear of COVID-19. In addition, it was determined that the fear of COVID-19 showed statistically significant differences according to education level, insurance status, smoking status, follow the news status and marital status. As a result, it has been observed that the level of health literacy can be effective in protecting elderly patients from fear. Longitudinal studies have been proposed to determine whether this relationship is causal or not.

Estimating students' online learning satisfaction during COVID-19: A discriminant analysis

This study aims to examine online learning effects regarding self-efficacy, generalized anxiety, and fear of COVID-19 on three distinct online learning satisfaction levels (low, moderate, and high) among university students. A cross-sectional survey was utilized for data collection between June 2020 and August 2020 to assess students' online self-efficacy, general anxiety, fear of COVID-19, and online learning satisfaction. The descriptive data analysis demonstrated a fundamental understanding of the gathered data results. Meanwhile, discriminant data analysis was employed to explore different online learning satisfaction levels following various study factors. The correlational analysis implied online learning self-efficacy to be significantly and positively associated with online learning satisfaction while general anxiety and fear of COVID-19 were significantly and negatively related to online learning satisfaction. The discriminant analysis revealed the emergence of three online learning satisfaction levels from online self-efficacy, general anxiety, and fear of COVID-19. This study theoretically justified the essentiality of online learning self-efficacy towards online learning satisfaction. High online learning satisfaction levels occurred with high online self-efficacy, moderate general anxiety, and low fear of COVID-19. Two discriminant functions (academic engagement and fear) were subsequently evolved. Academic engagement corresponded to online self-efficacy and general anxiety while fear was associated with COVID-19. In this vein, online learning self-efficacy and moderate general anxiety led to high online learning satisfaction. The fear of COVID-19 also required alleviation towards online learning satisfaction. For example, academicians and policymakers needed to focus on developing online self-efficacy and reducing the fear of COVID-19 for high online learning satisfaction.

Prevalence of COVID-19-Related Social Disruptions and Effects on Psychosocial Health in a Mixed-Serostatus Cohort of Men and Women

OBJECTIVES

This study describes prevention behavior and psychosocial health among people living with HIV (PLHIV) and HIV-negative people during the early wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the United States. We assessed differences by HIV status and associations between social disruption and psychosocial health.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional telephone/videoconference administered survey of 3411 PLHIV and HIV-negative participants in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study/WIHS Combined Cohort Study (MWCCS).

METHODS

An instrument combining new and validated measures was developed to assess COVID-19 prevention efforts, social disruptions (loss of employment, childcare, health insurance, and financial supports), experiences of abuse, and psychosocial health. Interviews were performed between April and June 2020. Associations between social disruptions and psychosocial health were explored using multivariable logistic regression, adjusting for sociodemographics and HIV status.

RESULTS

Almost all (97.4%) participants reported COVID-19 prevention behavior; 40.1% participants reported social disruptions, and 34.3% reported health care appointment disruption. Men living with HIV were more likely than HIV-negative men to experience social disruptions (40.6% vs. 32.9%; P < 0.01), whereas HIV-negative women were more likely than women with HIV to experience social disruptions (51.1% vs. 39.8%, P < 0.001). Participants who experienced ≥2 social disruptions had significantly higher odds of depression symptoms [aOR = 1.32; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.12 to 1.56], anxiety (aOR = 1.63; 95% CI: 1.17 to 2.27), and social support dissatisfaction (aOR = 1.81; 95% CI: 1.26 to 2.60).

CONCLUSIONS

This study builds on emerging literature demonstrating the psychosocial health impact related to the COVID-19 pandemic by providing context specific to PLHIV. The ongoing pandemic requires structural and social interventions to decrease social disruption and address psychosocial health needs among the most vulnerable populations.

Depression, anxiety, and stress among Ugandan university students during the COVID-19 lockdown: an online survey

Background

COVID19 pandemic forced most countries to lockdown, leading to the prolonged closure of many learning institutions. This dramatic shift led to increase of mental illness symptoms among university students.

Objective

To determine the prevalence and factors associated with symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress among Uganda's university students during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Methods

We conducted a one-month online survey using the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21).

Results

Participants n=321 were enrolled with mean age, 24.8(SD=5.1) years and 198(61.7%) were males. The prevalence of mental health symptoms among participants was 80.7%, 98.4%, and 77.9% for depression, high levels of anxiety, and stress, respectively. Statistically significant association between mental health symptoms on multi-logistic regression was found with Males (depression=2.97[1.61–5.48] and stress=1.90[1.07–3.35]), engagement in leisure activity (depression= 1.87[1.01–3.49] and stress=1.98[1.10–3.56]), and being finalist (stress=0.55[0.31- 0.97]). Use of addictive substances seem to potentially alleviate symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress in the short term.

Conclusions

The findings of this study suggest a high prevalence of symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress among university students during the COVID-19 lockdown. Students' mental health should be monitored by all stakeholders, especially as the pandemic progresses.

Feelings of fear, sadness, and loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic: Findings from two studies in the UK

During the COVID-19 pandemic, exposure to COVID-related stimuli, has been enormous. Exposure to threat-related stimuli, can have a significant impact on people's wellbeing particularly in relation to COVID-related anxiety. The present research comprises two empirical studies. In Study 1, a newly developed Emotional Stroop Task (EST) and an Image Rating Task (IRT) were used to assess, automatic and non-automatic affective responses to COVID-related words and images during the first wave of the pandemic in the UK general population. In Study 2, the same tasks were used to evaluate the affective responses of University students during the second wave of the pandemic. Additionally, loneliness and pro-social behaviours were explored in relation COVID-related anxiety in the same population. Overall, the results showed that automatic affective responses as measured by interference effects on the EST, remained unaffected during the pandemic. However, non-automatic affective responses to COVID-related images measured by the IRT, indicated that participants rated these images as more fearful sadder and higher in anger, compared to non-COVID negative images matched for arousal and negativity and this was more evident in people with high COVID-anxiety. Trait anxiety was related to higher levels of loneliness, more prosocial behaviour and higher intentions to help others, while COVID-related anxiety mediated these effects, suggesting that for high levels of trait anxiety, participants were more likely to have helped someone in need during the pandemic when their COVID-anxiety levels were low.

Using Ecological Momentary Assessment to Study the Development of COVID-19 Worries in Sweden: Longitudinal Study

Background

The foray of COVID-19 around the globe has certainly instigated worries in many people, and lockdown measures may well have triggered more specific worries. Sweden, more than other countries, relied on voluntary measures to fight the pandemic. This provides a particularly interesting context to assess people’s reactions to the threat of the pandemic.

Objective

The general aim of this study was to better understand the worried reactions to the virus and the associated lockdown measures. As there have been very few longitudinal studies in this area published to date, development of feelings of worry over time was analyzed over a longer range than in previous research. Affective variables, worry in particular, were included because most of the research in this field has focused on cognitive variables. To employ new methodology, ecological momentary assessment was used for data collection and a multilevel modeling approach was adopted for data analysis.

Methods

Results were based on an unbalanced panel sample of 260 Swedish participants filling in 3226 interview questionnaires by smartphone over a 7-week period in 2020 during the rapid rise of cases in the early phase of the pandemic. Causal factors considered in this study included the perceived severity of an infection, susceptibility of a person to the threat posed by the virus, perceived efficacy of safeguarding measures, and assessment of government action against the spread of COVID-19. The effect of these factors on worries was traced in two analytical steps: the effects at the beginning of the study and the effect on the trend during the study.

Results

The level of general worry related to COVID-19 was modest (mean 6.67, SD 2.54 on an 11-point Likert scale); the increase during the study period was small, but the interindividual variation of both the worry level and its increase over time was large. Findings confirmed that the hypothesized causal factors (severity of infection, susceptibility to the threat of the virus, efficacy of safeguarding, and assessment of government preventive action) did indeed affect the level of worry.

Conclusions

The results confirmed earlier research in a very special case and demonstrated the usefulness of a different study design, which takes a longitudinal perspective, and a new type of data analysis borrowed from multilevel study design.

The role of COVID-19 fears and related behaviors in understanding daily adolescent health behaviors during the pandemic

We examined the prospective associations of COVID-19 fears and behavior, and daily physical activity and dysregulated eating. Adolescents (N = 31) aged 11-17 completed selected subscales of the Fear of Illness and Virus Evaluation and completed a 7-day health behavior diary. Greater fear of contamination was associated with lower daily physical activity. In contrast, greater COVID-19 precautionary behavior was associated with greater daily physical activity. COVID-19 fears and precautionary behaviors have differential associations with health promoting behavior engagement. Future studies should explore the mechanisms underlying these links to guide adaptation of health behavior interventions for this unique cohort.

Fear of COVID-19 lead to procrastination among Turkish university students: The mediating role of intolerance of uncertainty

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 outbreak has not only increased mortality but has also negatively affected mental health among populations across the world. Furthermore, individuals are experiencing uncertainty about their current and future situation because of the pandemic. Therefore, the present study investigated the mediating role of intolerance of uncertainty in the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and procrastination among a sample of Turkish university students.

METHODS

Between October and November 2020, 450 university students (291 females and 159 males aged 17 to 24 years) from three state universities in Turkey completed an online survey. Correlation analysis and structural equation modeling methods were employed to examine a model for understanding the general procrastination during COVID-19 pandemic.

RESULTS

The results of the correlation analysis indicated that the fear of COVID-19 was positively correlated with both intolerance of uncertainty (r = .26, p < .001) and procrastination (r = .23, p < .001). The mediation analysis also showed that intolerance of uncertainty had a significant mediating role in the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and procrastination (β = .11, p < .001).

CONCLUSION

Reducing the fear of COVID-19 and intolerance of uncertainty is likely to contribute to reducing individuals' procrastination behaviors during the pandemic.

Quality of life and associated factors among university students during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the quality of life (QoL) and determine its association with various factors and social support among university students during the COVID-19 pandemic after the end of movement lockdown.

DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

This online cross-sectional study recruited 316 participants. The inclusion criteria were students 18 years and above who were registered with the faculties of medicine at Malaysian public universities located in Klang Valley and in the states of Penang and Kelantan in Peninsular Malaysia. The exclusion criteria were those who presented with psychotic disorders, bipolar mood disorder or a history of illicit drugs.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Participants were administered a self-reported questionnaire to gather data on demographic, personal, clinical and psychological characteristics. The questionnaire comprised of the 21-item Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the WHO Quality of Life- Brief Version (WHOQoL-BREF).

RESULTS

The psychological and social QoL scores were lower than the non-pandemic norms of the general population, while the physical health and environmental QoL scores were comparable. After adjusting for relevant demographic, personal and clinical variables, religious coping, greater number of hours of online classes attended, and greater social support from family, friends and significant others were significantly associated with higher QoL among the participants. Frustration due to study disruption, living in areas with a high prevalence of COVID-19 cases, and a higher severity of depressive and stress symptoms were significantly associated with lower QoL.

CONCLUSION

COVID-19 impaired the QoL of university students even after the movement lockdown was lifted.

Daily lives of university students in the health area during the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in Brazil

OBJECTIVES

To determine the main changes that took place in the daily lives of students in the health area during the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in Brazil.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional study, carried out from May to June 2020, with 1786 students over 18 years old, regularly enrolled in health courses at higher education institutions in five regions of Brazil. Sampling was by convenience, typified as snowball. In order to collect data, an instrument to describe the sociodemographic profile and the daily lives of students during the pandemic period was used, which was applied via a digital platform on the web.

RESULTS

The main changes that took place in the daily lives of academic students in the health area in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic in Brazil are related to lower productivity; difficulty concentrating; increased hours of sleep, use of electro-electronic equipment and weight; poorer quality of food; higher consumption of food, legal and illegal substances and medications (mainly analgesics, anxiolytics and antidepressants); less interest in personal appearance; and greater contact with relatives. Regarding emotional changes, it should be underlined the complaints of anxiety, stress, anguish, confusion, helplessness and depression.

CONCLUSIONS

During the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in Brazil, the students in the health area experienced several changes in their daily lives, which deserve special attention from higher education institutions and health systems, envisioning interventions to minimize health risks to this population.

Fear of COVID-19 among Healthcare Workers: The Role of Neuroticism and Fearful Attachment

Fear of becoming infected is an important factor of the complex suite of emotional reactions triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Among healthcare workers (HWs), fear of infection can put at risk their psychological well-being and occupational efficiency. The aim of this study was to analyze the role of personality (i.e., the big five traits) and adult attachment in predicting levels of fear (as measured by the FCV-19S) in 101 HWs employed in a COVID-19 university hospital. The three significant predictors retained by the stepwise regression model were age (beta = 0.26, t = 2.89, p < 0.01), emotional stability (i.e., the inverse of neuroticism) (beta = -0.26, t = -2.89, p < 0.01), and fearful attachment (beta = 0.25, t = 2.75, p < 0.01). Older HWs with higher levels of neuroticism and fearful attachment reported more intense fear of COVID-19. Our results can be useful to identify vulnerable subgroups of HWs and to implement selective programs of prevention based on counseling and psychological support.

Investigating Links Between Fear of COVID-19, Neuroticism, Social Networks Use Disorder, and Smartphone Use Disorder Tendencies

The present study investigates links between fear of COVID-19, the personality trait of neuroticism, social networks use disorder, and smartphone use disorder (SNUD and SmUD, respectively) tendencies. In an online survey, N = 932 participants recruited at a Chinese University (237 males and 695 females) completed self-reports on fear of COVID-19, neuroticism (and other personality traits from the Big Five Inventory-44), the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (assessing tendencies toward SNUD), and the Smartphone Addiction Scale short version—assessing individual differences in tendencies toward SmUD.

Our findings showed that all variables of main interest were positively correlated with each other. A mediation model suggested that SNUD (in parts) mediated the association between fear of COVID-19 and SmUD. Although neuroticism was robustly correlated with all mentioned variables, no moderation effect could be observed on the investigated fear-of-COVID-19-SNUD-link.

The findings of this work provide further evidence that the smartphone itself is only a device giving individuals access to software applications, which might be excessively used. Beyond that, the present data indicate neuroticism to be a risk factor with respect to fear of COVID-19, SNUD, and SmUD, although the study is limited by its cross-sectional study design.

COVID-19 vaccine acceptance: influential roles of political party and religiosity

Given recent declines in US vaccination rates and the emergence of COVID-19 vaccines, identifying sociodemographic influencers of vaccine willingness holds importance for developing effective public health campaigns aimed at enhancing nationwide COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. The present study utilized a hierarchical binary logistic regression model to assess demographic variables (age, gender, race/ethnicity, pre-existing medical conditions), political party membership, religious affiliation, level of religiosity, and fear of COVID-19 as predictors of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance ('Yes', would receive a vaccine or 'No', would not receive a vaccine) in a national sample of US adults (N = 249). Participants were recruited from Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk) and completed several online questionnaires pertaining to mental health, health behaviors, and responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Both Democratic party membership and decreased level of religiosity predicted acceptance of a COVID-19 vaccine. This investigation supports political party membership and religiosity as influencers of COVID-19 vaccine willingness and suggests that these variables could represent potential targets for public health interventions aimed at increasing vaccine adoption.

COVID-19 Fear, Resilience, Social Support, Anxiety, and Suicide among College Students in Spain

Worldwide, previous studies have expressed concerns regarding the broad psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic among college students as they are considered an especially vulnerable group. However, few studies have examined the prevalence of, risk of, and protective factors associated with fear of COVID-19 among college students in Europe. We have sought to address gaps in the literature by conducting a cross-sectional survey among 517 college students (79.1% women and 20.9% men) from a public university in the southeast of Spain. Participants were asked to complete the Fear of COVID-19 scale (FCV-19S) questionnaire and answer questions related to resilience, social support, anxiety, and suicide risk levels using validated scales. The results of the analysis of the variables associated with fear of COVID-19 suggest that, in addition to gender, the factor of anxiety shows a robust positive association and effect with COVID-19 fear (p < 0.001). According to our results, university institutions must adopt support mechanisms to alleviate psychological impacts on students during this pandemic, treating it similarly to other disasters. Implications for social work to reduce COVID-19 fear are also discussed.

Psychometric properties of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale amongst black South African university students

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread widely leading to a global public health crisis of a pandemic proportion. Whilst infection rates tend to fluctuate in South Africa, COVID-19 remains a life-threatening disease with the capacity to wreak fear and concern. The present study evaluated the psychometric qualities of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) amongst black South African university students (N = 433; Female: 58%; Mage = 23.51 [SD = 4.18]). The FCV-19S demonstrated a unidimensional factor structure and acceptable internal consistency (α = 0.87), Omega (ω = 0.88) and the greatest lower bound (GLB = 0.90) reliabilities. In addition, discriminant validity was demonstrated when FCV-19S items loaded separately from ordinary fear. The FCV-19S can be used as a measure of COVID-19-related fear amongst black South African university students.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Mental Health of College Students: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has been spreading and brought unprecedented psychological pressure on people across the entire globe since December 2019.

OBJECTIVES

To synthesize the existing evidence of the prevalence of mental health status during the epidemic and provide the basis for mental health education.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The literature search was conducted in nine databases from December 2019 to October 2020. The risk of bias for each study was assessed, and the random-effects meta-analysis was used to estimate the prevalence of specific mental health problems. The review protocol was registered in PROSPERO with the registration number CRD42020208619.

RESULTS

About 27 studies were included in the analysis with a total of 706,415 participants combined, and 14 mental health problems were gathered. Meta-analysis showed that the prevalence of depression was 39% (95% CI: 27-51%) and that of anxiety was 36% (95% CI: 26-46%). Subgroup analysis indicated that the prevalence of depression and anxiety varied among nations and due to the survey date. The prevalence of depression (60%, 95% CI: 46-74%) and anxiety (60%, 95% CI: 46-74%) in non-Chinese college students was higher than those in Chinese college students (26%, 95% CI: 21-30% and 20%, 95% CI: 14-26%). The proportion of depression (54%, 95% CI: 40-67%) and anxiety (37%, 95% CI: 26-48%) was higher after March 1 than before it (21%, 95% CI: 16-25% and 19%, 95% CI: 13-25%).

CONCLUSIONS

The meta-analysis results presented that the prevalence of depression (39%) or anxiety (36%) among college students greatly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the mental health of college students is affected by the nations and the survey date. It was necessary to take measures to reduce mental health risks during the pandemic.

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Fear of COVID-19

Background: Due to lack of preparedness of health systems, fast spread of the new virus, high mortality rates, and lack of a definite treatment, the outbreak of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) led to high levels of fear and anxiety in different populations. In addition, isolation, mental disorders, and limitations in social interactions as a result of lockdown and travel ban increased the fear of the new coronavirus. Methods: International databases, including Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google scholar, were searched without any time limitation, and all observational studies published in English reporting the mean of fear of COVID-19 based on the Fear of COVID-19 scale (FCV-19S) were included in the analysis. Methodological quality was assessed using the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines. Random effects model, subgroup analysis, and meta-regression analysis were used to analyze the data. Heterogeneity across studies was examined using Cochran's Q test and I ² statistic. All the statistical analyses were conducted using R software v4.0.3. Results: A total of 44 articles with a sample size of 52,462 were reviewed. A pooled mean of 18.57 was found for fear of COVID-19. The mean of fear of COVID-19 was higher in women than in men (20.67 vs. 18.21). The highest and lowest means of fear of COVID-19 had been found in Asia (18.36) and Australia (17.43) based on continent, and in hospital staff (19.51) and college students (17.95) based on target population, respectively. In addition, the highest and lowest means of fear of COVID-19 were related to items #1 and #3 of the scale, respectively. According to the results of meta-regression analysis, there was no significant association between the mean of fear of COVID-19 and sample size and participants' age. In addition, publication error was not significant (P = 0.721). Conclusion: The mean of fear of COVID-19 was high around the world; therefore, it seems necessary to pay more attention to the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health.

Translation of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale into French-Canadian and English-Canadian and Validation in the Nursing Staff of Quebec

Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, Quebec has been one of the most affected provinces in Canada. Rising fear of COVID-19 is inevitable among healthcare workers, and a new scale was developed to measure this type of fear, the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S). Aims: To translate the FCV-19S into French-Canadian and English-Canadian, and to validate both versions in the nursing staff from Quebec. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was sent to approximately 15 000 nursing staff including nurses and licensed practical nurses among those who had consented to their respective Order to be contacted for research. The forward-backward method was used to translate the FCV-19S into French-Canadian and English-Canadian. Both versions along with stress and work-related questionnaires, were used to establish validity. Results: A total of 1708 nursing staff, with a majority of women, completed the survey (1517 and 191 completed the French-Canadian and English-Canadian versions). A unidimensional scale was confirmed for both versions with Cronbach alphas of 0.90 and 0.88. Discriminative values showed higher fear levels in women, and in generation X (40-56 years old). Higher fear levels were also found in nursing staff working in long-term care facilities, provided care to COVID-19 patients who died, and those who felt less prepared to provide safe care. Convergent associations were found between fear levels, stress, work satisfaction, and turnover intention. Discussion and conclusion: A rigorous approach was used to translate the fear of COVID-19 scale into French-Canadian and English-Canadian. Both Canadian versions of the FCV-19S supported a valid unidimensional scale in Quebec nursing staff.

COVID 19 Fear Impact among Russian “Helping Profession” Students

Background: Little is known about the COVID-19 impact on Russian medical, psychology and social work students’ psycho-emotional well-being, substance use and resilience. Methods: More than 2000 helping profession students, 75.4% female, participated in an online survey about COVID-19 impact at a peak time of infection (October/November 2020). The Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) and Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) were used for study purposes. Furthermore, the influence of COVID-19 on student psycho-emotional well-being and substance use (i.e., tobacco and alcohol) was examined. Results: Medical, female and religious students reported higher fear values. Social work students reported more current substance use, including binge drinking (five or more drinks on one particular occasion). Students who reported COVID-19 associated with their psycho-emotional well-being had higher fear values. Regarding resilience, no association was found based on the student study area. However, male and non-religious students reported more resilience. Students who reported substance use and psycho-emotional problems had lower resilience values. Conclusion: COVID-19 fear and substance use differs among Russian students based on background characteristics. including gender, religiosity and study area. The FCV-19S and the BRS were found to be reliable instruments for research of COVID-19-related psycho-emotional problems, substance use and resilience. Study findings have implications for “front line” helping profession students in terms of education, training and intervention, in support of promoting their ability to address difficult conditions resulting from the pandemic and other disaster conditions in the future.

The Association Between Fear of Coronavirus Disease 2019, Mental Health, and Turnover Intention Among Quarantine Hotel Employees in China

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, quarantine hotel employees face a higher risk of infection while they host quarantine guests from overseas. This is the first research to empirically investigate the psychological effects of operating a quarantine hotel on its employees. The empirical results indicate that heightened fear of COVID-19 leads to adverse mental health issues for quarantine hotel employees and confirm that depression, anxiety, and stress have a significant influence on turnover intention. These findings contribute to the extant knowledge base by uncovering the role of mental health in employee turnover intention. Based on the results, implications are presented for practitioners.

Validation of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale in a Sample of Pakistan's University Students and Future Directions

This study determined the psychometric validation of the English version of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S). Findings demonstrated robust psychometric properties for the FCV-19S. CFA results showed that the FCV-19S was a good model fit to the data in a sample of 608 university students. The FCV-19S also showed good concurrent validity, as it was significantly and positively related to the Preventive Behaviors related to COVID-19 Scale and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale as well as significantly and negatively related to the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale. The scale also showed good internal consistency reliability. Further, the association of age with FCV-19S indicated that younger students experienced greater fear of COVID-19. The analyses of mean differences revealed that women as compared to men, bachelor's and master's students as compared to post-master's students, and unemployed students as compared to employed students experienced greater fear of the outbreak. Also, those suffering from severe anxiety experienced greater fear of COVID-19 followed by those suffering from moderate, mild, and minimal anxiety. Moreover, knowing someone suffering from the coronavirus, being afraid that someone close might contract the virus, and believing that the current COVID-19 situation adversely affects academic performance were linked to higher levels of fear of the pandemic. Practice implications, limitations, and avenues for future research are also discussed.

Instruments to measure fear of COVID-19: a diagnostic systematic review

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has become a source of fear across the world. Measuring the level or significance of fear in different populations may help identify populations and areas in need of public health and education campaigns. We were interested in diagnostic tests developed to assess or diagnose COVID-19-related fear or phobia.

METHODS

We performed a systematic review of studies that examined instruments diagnosing or assessing fear or phobia of COVID-19 (PROSPERO registration: CRD42020197100). We utilized the Norwegian Institute of Public Health's Live map of covid-19 evidence, a database of pre-screened and pre-categorized studies. The Live map of covid-19 evidence identified references published since 1 December 2019 in MEDLINE, Embase, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Following biweekly searches, two researchers independently categorized all studies according to topic (seven main topics, 52 subordinate topics), population (41 available groups), study design, and publication type. For this review, we assessed for eligibility all studies that had been categorized to the topic "Experiences and perceptions, consequences; social, political, economic aspects" as of 25 September 2020, in addition to hand-searching included studies' reference lists. We meta-analyzed correlation coefficients of fear scores to the most common reference tests (self-reports of anxiety, depression, and stress), and reported additional concurrent validity to other reference tests such as specific phobias. We assessed study quality using the QUADAS-2 for the minority of studies that presented diagnostic accuracy statistics.

RESULTS

We found 18 studies that validated fear instruments. Fifteen validated the Fear of COVID-19 scale (FCV-19S). We found no studies that proposed a diagnosis of fear of COVID-19 or a threshold of significant/clinical versus non-significant/subclinical fear. Study quality was low, with the most common potential biases related to sampling strategy and un-blinded data analysis. The FSV-19S total score correlated strongly with severe phobia (r = 0.703, 95%CI 0.634-0.761) in one study, and moderately with anxiety in a meta-analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

The accuracy of the FSV-19S needs to be measured further using fear-related reference instruments, and future studies need to provide cut-off scores and normative values. Further evaluation of the remaining three instruments is required.