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Garrett C, Aghaei A, Aggarwal A, Qiao S. The Role of Social Media in the Experiences of COVID-19 Among Long-Hauler Women: Qualitative Study. JMIR Hum Factors 2024; 11:e50443. [PMID: 38652515 PMCID: PMC11042494 DOI: 10.2196/50443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The extant literature suggests that women are more vulnerable to COVID-19 infection and at higher risk for developing long COVID. Due to pandemic mitigation recommendations, social media was relied upon for various aspects of daily life, likely with differences of usage between genders. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to explore the role and functions of social media in the lives of long-hauler women. METHODS Participants were purposively snowball-sampled from an online health promotion intervention for long-hauler women with COVID-19 from March to June 2021. During this time, one-on-one, semistructured interviews were conducted online until data saturation was agreed to have been achieved (ie, 15 interviews). Interview transcripts and field notes were analyzed using an emergent, inductive approach. RESULTS In total, 15 women were enrolled. The main roles of social media included facilitating support group participation, experience sharing, interpersonal connections, and media consumption. Emergent themes demonstrated that participants rely on social media to fulfill needs of emotional support, social engagement, spirituality, health planning, information gathering, professional support, and recreationally for relaxation. As long-hauler women turn to social media to discuss symptom and health management as well as the intention to vaccinate, this study demonstrates both the associated benefits (ie, decreased isolation) and challenges (ie, misinformation, rumination, resentment, jealousy). CONCLUSIONS The public health implications of these findings support the development of gender-tailored health promotion interventions that leverage the benefits of social media, while mitigating the negative impacts, for women with long COVID.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camryn Garrett
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Atefeh Aghaei
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Abhishek Aggarwal
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Shan Qiao
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States
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Wu P, Cao K, Feng W, Lv S. Cross-lagged analysis of rumination and social anxiety among Chinese college students. BMC Psychol 2024; 12:28. [PMID: 38229187 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-023-01515-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social anxiety, which is widely prevalent among Chinese college students, poses a significant barrier to their holistic psychological and physiological development. Although numerous cross-sectional studies have examined the relationship between rumination and social anxiety, there is still a gap in understanding their interplay over time. This longitudinal study aimed to explore and analyze the intricate interrelations between these two factors, with the ultimate goal of informing the development of effective mental health education interventions for university students. METHODS Using the Ruminative Responses Scale (RRS) and the Interaction Anxiousness Scale (IAS), a two-stage longitudinal follow-up study of 392 college students from three universities in Henan Province was conducted over a six-month period (October 2022 to March 2023) using a cross-lagged model to explore the correlation between rumination and social anxiety. The results of the correlation analysis showed that rumination was positively associated with social anxiety at both time points (r = 0.18,0.12, p < 0.01). RESULTS Cross-lagged regression analyses revealed that the predictive effect of the first measure (T1) rumination on the second measure (T2) rumination was statistically significant (β = 0.32, p < 0.001). The predictive effect of T1 social anxiety on T2 social anxiety was statistically significant (β = 0.65, p < 0.001), the predictive effect of T1 rumination on T2 social anxiety was statistically significant (β = 0.33, p < 0.001), and the prediction of T1 social anxiety on T2 rumination was statistically significant (β = 0.28, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION College students' rumination and social anxiety are mutually predictive of each other, and interventions by educators in either of these areas have the potential to interrupt the vicious cycle between ruminant thinking and social anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peibo Wu
- Institute of Education, Xiamen University, Xiamen, People's Republic of China
- Zhong yuan Institute of Science And Technology, Zhengzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Keyan Cao
- Institute of Education, Xiamen University, Xiamen, People's Republic of China.
- Shenzhen Polytechnic University, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China.
| | - Wenjing Feng
- Zhong yuan Institute of Science And Technology, Zhengzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuai Lv
- School of Modern Logistics, Qingdao Harbour Vocational and Technical College, Qingdao, People's Republic of China
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Montazeri A, Mohammadi S, M Hesari P, Yarmohammadi H, Bahabadi MR, Naghizadeh Moghari F, Maftoon F, Tavousi M, Riazi H. Exposure to the COVID-19 news on social media and consequent psychological distress and potential behavioral change. Sci Rep 2023; 13:15224. [PMID: 37710006 PMCID: PMC10502066 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-42459-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) news pandemic is inevitable. This study aimed to explore the association between exposure to COVID-19 news on social media and feeling of anxiety, fear, and potential opportunities for behavioral change among Iranians. A telephone-based survey was carried out in 2020. Adults aged 18 years and above were randomly selected. A self-designed questionnaire was administered to collect information on demographic variables and questions to address exposure to news and psychological and behavioral responses regarding COVID-19. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the relationship between anxiety, fear, behavioral responses, and independent variables, including exposure to news. In all, 1563 adults participated in the study. The mean age of respondents was 39.17 ± 13.5 years. Almost 55% of participants reported moderate to high-level anxiety, while fear of being affected by COVID-19 was reported 54.1%. Overall 88% reported that they had changed their behaviors to some extent. Exposure to the COVID-19 news on social media was the most influencing variable on anxiety (OR 2.21, 95% CI 1.62-3.04; P < 0.0001), fear (OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.49-2.56; P < 0.0001), and change in health behaviors (OR 2.02, 95% CI 1.28-3.19; P = 0.003) in the regression model. The fear of being infected by the COVID19 was associated with the female gender and some socioeconomic characteristics. Although exposure to the COVID-19 news on social media seemed to be associated with excess anxiety and fear, it also, to some extent, had positively changed people's health behaviors towards preventive measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Montazeri
- Health Metrics Research Centre, Iranian Institute for Health Sciences Research, ACECR, Tehran, Iran.
- Faculty of Humanity Sciences, University of Science and Culture, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Samira Mohammadi
- Health Metrics Research Centre, Iranian Institute for Health Sciences Research, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Parisa M Hesari
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Canada
| | - Hossein Yarmohammadi
- Health Metrics Research Centre, Iranian Institute for Health Sciences Research, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | | | | | - Farzaneh Maftoon
- Health Metrics Research Centre, Iranian Institute for Health Sciences Research, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahmoud Tavousi
- Health Metrics Research Centre, Iranian Institute for Health Sciences Research, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hedyeh Riazi
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Kindred R, Bates GW. The Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Social Anxiety: A Systematic Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:ijerph20032362. [PMID: 36767728 PMCID: PMC9915904 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20032362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in negative mental health outcomes throughout the world, and its impact on social interactions and relationships is likely to be evident in problematic social anxiety. This systematic review qualitatively synthesized data from studies that have reported on the effects of the pandemic on social anxiety. A systematic search of Web of Science Core Collection, Embase, PsychINFO, Scopus, EBSCOhost, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Proquest Central-Dissertations and Theses was conducted, with thirty-three studies meeting the inclusion criteria. The results suggest that social anxiety has been heightened in the general population due to the pandemic, with women and low-income earners being especially vulnerable. Other contributing factors include impaired coping strategies, lower socio-emotional well-being, limited support networks, and contraction of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Individuals with a Social Anxiety Disorder diagnosis may be at risk of a deterioration of mental health in general. Limitations of the literature reviewed include the predominance of cross-sectional study designs, which limit causal inferences are limited. Additionally, associations may be inflated as many studies have not accounted for mediating variables. Taken together, the research suggests that social anxiety, either pre-pandemic or arising due to the pandemic environment, has contributed to a variety of negative mental health outcomes related to social anxiety.
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Mackenzie E, McMaugh A, Van Bergen P, Parada RH. Online support seeking, co-rumination, and mental health in adolescent girls. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1040636. [PMID: 36960461 PMCID: PMC10027699 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1040636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Adolescents frequently use informal support seeking to cope with stress and worries. Past research in face-to-face contexts has shown that the relationship between informal support seeking and mental health is influenced by the specific strategy used and the mode through which support is sought. To date, little research has considered the relationship between support seeking online and adolescent mental health. Methods In this study, structural equation modeling (SEM) examined the mediating role of co-rumination in the relationships between seeking support from friends or online and two measures of mental health: depression and anxiety. Participants were 186 adolescent girls, drawn from four independent girls' schools in Sydney, Australia. Four brief vignettes described common social stressors and participants rated their likelihood of seeking support from close friends and from informal online sources. Co-rumination was measured using a short form of the Co-rumination Questionnaire and depression and anxiety were measured with the youth version of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-Youth (DASS-Y). Results Different patterns of findings were found for support seeking from close friends and support seeking online. First, support seeking from friends was related to lower levels of depression and anxiety while seeking support online was related to higher levels depression and anxiety. Second, co-rumination suppressed the relationship between seeking support from friends and depression, but not online support seeking and depression or anxiety. Discussion These findings suggest that co-rumination reduces the benefits of seeking support from friends but is unrelated to online support seeking. The findings also confirm the problematic nature of online support seeking for adolescent girls' mental health, particularly in response to social stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin Mackenzie
- Centre for Educational Research, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
- Macquarie School of Education, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- *Correspondence: Erin Mackenzie,
| | - Anne McMaugh
- Macquarie School of Education, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Penny Van Bergen
- Macquarie School of Education, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- School of Education, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Roberto H. Parada
- Centre for Educational Research, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
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Lennon JC, Hantke N, Mattek N, Wu CY, Dodge H, Wall R, Beattie Z, Kaye J, Silbert L. Mood and activity changes during the COVID-19 pandemic in rural and urban Veterans and their cohabitants. Clin Gerontol 2023; 46:759-766. [PMID: 36208222 PMCID: PMC10132474 DOI: 10.1080/07317115.2022.2130123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We aimed to examine the impact of COVID-19 pandemic-related stay-at-home orders on weekly reports of mood and activity before and during COVID-19 in a sample of older Veterans and their cohabitants. METHODS Urban and rural Veterans and their cohabitants living in the Pacific Northwest ≥62 years old were enrolled as part of the Collaborative Aging Research Using Technology initiative (n = 100, age = 71.2 ± 6.5, 41% women). Participants reported frequency of social activities (e.g., travel away), physical illness, and mood (blue mood and loneliness) via weekly online health forms. RESULTS A total of 2,441 weekly online health forms (OHFs) were collected from 100 participants. During the COVID-19 pandemic, blue mood (OR = 4.4, p < .0001) and loneliness (OR = 7.2, p < .0001) were significantly higher than before the pandemic, and travel away from home was significantly lower (OR = 0.5, p < .0001). Prevalence of blue mood and loneliness were not associated with rurality. CONCLUSIONS The current study established that blue mood and loneliness were significantly more prevalent in older Veterans following COVID-19 stay-at-home orders regardless of rurality. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS The COVID-19 pandemic associated health precautions, while necessary to curb acute health risks, have created a unique situation that places vulnerable populations at increased risk of low mood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack C. Lennon
- Division of Mental Health & Clinical Neurosciences, Veterans Affairs Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR USA
| | - Nathan Hantke
- Division of Mental Health & Clinical Neurosciences, Veterans Affairs Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR USA
- Department of Neurology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR USA
- NIA-Layton Aging & Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Portland, OR USA
| | - Nora Mattek
- Department of Neurology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR USA
- NIA-Layton Aging & Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Portland, OR USA
- Oregon Center for Aging & Technology (ORCATECH), Portland, OR USA
| | - Chao-Yi Wu
- Department of Neurology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR USA
- NIA-Layton Aging & Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Portland, OR USA
- Oregon Center for Aging & Technology (ORCATECH), Portland, OR USA
| | - Hiroko Dodge
- Department of Neurology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR USA
- NIA-Layton Aging & Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Portland, OR USA
- Oregon Center for Aging & Technology (ORCATECH), Portland, OR USA
| | - Rachel Wall
- Department of Neurology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR USA
- NIA-Layton Aging & Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Portland, OR USA
- Oregon Center for Aging & Technology (ORCATECH), Portland, OR USA
| | - Zachary Beattie
- Department of Neurology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR USA
- NIA-Layton Aging & Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Portland, OR USA
- Oregon Center for Aging & Technology (ORCATECH), Portland, OR USA
| | - Jeffrey Kaye
- Department of Neurology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR USA
- NIA-Layton Aging & Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Portland, OR USA
- Oregon Center for Aging & Technology (ORCATECH), Portland, OR USA
| | - Lisa Silbert
- Department of Neurology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR USA
- NIA-Layton Aging & Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Portland, OR USA
- Oregon Center for Aging & Technology (ORCATECH), Portland, OR USA
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Balsamo M, Murdock KK, Carlucci L. Psychological factors in adherence to COVID-19 public health restrictions in Italy: A path model testing depressed mood, anxiety, and co-rumination via cellphone. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0278628. [PMID: 36459533 PMCID: PMC9718386 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0278628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the success of major non-pharmaceutical interventions, such as quarantine orders, has depended upon robust rates of citizens' adherence to protocols. Thus, it is critical to public health for research to illuminate factors that affect compliance with contagion-mitigating practices. Previous research has examined sociodemographic factors and aspects of psychological distress as correlates of adherence to public health guidelines. The current study expanded this research to investigate the psychosocial process of co-rumination, which has been identified in previous research as a maladaptive type of social interaction that is associated with elevated levels of anxiety and depression. Data were collected from 932 Italian adults during the initial stages of the highly stressful COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. A path model was tested to examine multivariate relationships among sociodemographic characteristics, symptoms of psychological distress (i.e., depression and anxiety), co-rumination via cellphone, and self-reported adherence to COVID-19-related public health restrictions. Results revealed that higher rates of co-rumination via cellphone were associated with lower levels of adherence to public health restrictions. Symptoms of depression and anxiety were differentially related to co-rumination processes and adherence to public health restrictions. Higher levels of depression symptoms were directly associated with poorer adherence to public health restrictions, and this path was mediated through higher levels of co-rumination via cellphone. On the contrary, higher levels of state anxiety were directly associated with greater adherence to public health guidelines. This path was also mediated through co-rumination via cellphone. Higher levels of anxiety were correlated with lower levels of co-rumination, which in turn were correlated with lower levels of adherence. These results suggest fruitful directions for future research examining co-rumination as a maladaptive coping behavior that may be addressed within public health interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michela Balsamo
- University of “G. d’Annunzio” Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
- * E-mail:
| | - Karla Klein Murdock
- Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Virginia, United States of America
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Gupta MD, Basu A, Thakurta R. Re-examining the relationship between interpersonal reactivity index sub-scales and mental well-being: Implications of the pandemic. Acta Psychol (Amst) 2022; 228:103621. [PMID: 35653935 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2022.103621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The pandemic has severely impacted people's Mental Well-being (MWB) globally. Pre-pandemic studies have widely linked MWB with empathy. Against the backdrop of pandemic, we intend to re-examine this association between empathy, as widely measured by the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) sub-scales: perspective taking, empathic concerns, and personal distress with MWB. For this, a survey using a non-experimental research design was carried out during the 2020 lockdown. We used the Structural Equation Modeling approach to analyse the data. All the standardized scales have been tested for unidimensionality, reliability, and validity. We also resort to a self-administered questionnaire consisting of questions related to day-to-day activities to support the empirical findings. Results demonstrate a positive relationship between perspective taking and empathic concern with MWB and a negative relationship between personal distress and MWB. The response to the self-administered questionnaire corroborates with our model results and presents the scope of interpreting the findings. In continuation, limitations, contributions, and future scope conclude this essay.
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