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Cardenas Soriano P, Rodriguez-Blazquez C, Forjaz MJ, Ayala A, Fernandez-Mayoralas G, Rojo-Perez F, Sanchez-Gonzalez D, Rodriguez-Rodriguez V. Associated factors for fear of COVID-19 scale in long-term care settings in Spain. Geriatr Nurs 2024; 56:167-172. [PMID: 38354659 DOI: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2024.02.009] [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: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine the relationship between the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) score and sociodemographic, health, emotional and behavioural factors, in a cross-sectional observational study in 447 older adults living in long-term care (LTC) settings in Madrid (Spain). METHODS The sample was stratified by nursing home ownership, geographical location, and size. Multiple linear regression analysis was used using backward elimination to identify factors that explained associations with fear, and logistic regression models were used to examine its role as a predictor of adherence to preventive measures. RESULTS The mean age of the participants was 83.8 years, most were female, had had COVID-19, and were worried about the pandemic. The average score of the FCV-19S was 18.36 (SD: 8.28; range: 7-35), and the variables associated in the multiple linear regression model (explained variance: 34.00%) were being female, lower level of education, satisfaction with life and the residential home, and higher worry about the pandemic. The logistic regression models showed that fear of COVID-19 was a predictor of adherence to preventive measures like wearing facemasks, washing hands, and avoiding physical contact. CONCLUSIONS fear of COVID-19 was significantly related with sex and subjective factors as life satisfaction and worry; and it influences older people's preventive behaviour. Interventions aimed at reducing fear and promoting adherence to preventive measures would improve their mental health and well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pilar Cardenas Soriano
- Preventive Medicine Unit, Alcorcón Foundation University Hospital, Alcorcón, Spain; Escuela Internacional de Doctorado, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmen Rodriguez-Blazquez
- National Centre of Epidemiology and Network Centre for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Carlos III Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Maria João Forjaz
- National Centre of Epidemiology and Health Service Research Network on Chronic Diseases (REDISSEC) and Research Network on Chronicity, Primary Care and Health Promotion (RICAPPS), Carlos III Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alba Ayala
- Department of Statistics, University Carlos III of Madrid, and Health Service Research Network on Chronic Diseases (REDISSEC), Carlos III Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Fermina Rojo-Perez
- Grupo de Investigacion sobre Envejecimiento (GIE-CSIC), IEGD, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Diego Sanchez-Gonzalez
- Department of Geography, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), Madrid, Spain
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Lu H, Yang J, Zhao K, Jin Z, Wen X, Hu N, Yang H, Sun Z, Chen H, Huang Y, Wang DB, Wu Y. Perceived risk of COVID-19 hurts mental health: the mediating role of fear of COVID-19 and the moderating role of resilience. BMC Psychiatry 2024; 24:58. [PMID: 38254008 PMCID: PMC10802027 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-024-05511-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depression and anxiety have been found prevalent during all phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. In late December 2022, almost all COVID-19 control measures were lifted in China, leading to a surge in COVID-19 infections. The public's perceived risk and fear of COVID-19 would be increased. This study aims to examine the prevalence of depression and anxiety in the Chinese general population and explores the mediating role of fear of COVID-19 between COVID-19 perceived risk and depression/anxiety and the moderating role of resilience between fear of COVID-19 and depression/anxiety. METHODS A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in Wenzhou, China, immediately following almost all COVID-19 control measures lifted. The 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), the COVID-19 Risk Perception Scale, the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) were used to evaluate depression, anxiety, COVID-19 perceived risk, fear of COVID-19, and resilience, respectively. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with Maximum Likelihood (ML) estimator and adjusted for significant background factors was performed to test the moderated mediation. Data obtained from 935 participants were analyzed. RESULTS The prevalence of moderate to severe depression and anxiety was 23.7% and 9.5%, respectively. The present study revealed positive associations among COVID-19 perceived risk, fear of COVID-19 and depression/anxiety, and negative associations between resilience and fear of COVID-19/depression/anxiety. Fear of COVID-19 partially mediated the association between COVID-19 perceived risk and depression/anxiety. Furthermore, resilience significantly moderated the association between fear of COVID-19 and depression/anxiety. Two moderated mediation models were constructed. CONCLUSION Depression and anxiety were prevalent among Chinese adults during the final phase of the pandemic in China. The significant mediation role of fear of COVID-19 implies that reducing fear of COVID-19 may effectively alleviate depression and anxiety symptoms. Moreover, enhancing public resilience during an epidemic crisis is crucial for promoting mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Lu
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Research for Mental Disorders, School of Mental Health and The Affiliated Wenzhou Kangning Hospital, Institute of Aging, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325000, China
| | - Jialin Yang
- Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Research for Mental Disorders, School of Mental Health and The Affiliated Wenzhou Kangning Hospital, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Aging, Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 32500, China
| | - Kejie Zhao
- Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Research for Mental Disorders, School of Mental Health and The Affiliated Wenzhou Kangning Hospital, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Aging, Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 32500, China
| | - Zhou Jin
- Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Research for Mental Disorders, School of Mental Health and The Affiliated Wenzhou Kangning Hospital, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Aging, Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 32500, China
| | - Xin Wen
- Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Research for Mental Disorders, School of Mental Health and The Affiliated Wenzhou Kangning Hospital, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Aging, Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 32500, China
| | - Nuonuo Hu
- Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Research for Mental Disorders, School of Mental Health and The Affiliated Wenzhou Kangning Hospital, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Aging, Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 32500, China
| | - Hongshen Yang
- Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Research for Mental Disorders, School of Mental Health and The Affiliated Wenzhou Kangning Hospital, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Aging, Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 32500, China
| | - Zhiyu Sun
- Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Research for Mental Disorders, School of Mental Health and The Affiliated Wenzhou Kangning Hospital, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Aging, Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 32500, China
| | - Haitao Chen
- Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Research for Mental Disorders, School of Mental Health and The Affiliated Wenzhou Kangning Hospital, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Aging, Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 32500, China
| | - Yili Huang
- Lyons Insights Consulting, Chicago, United States of America.
| | - Deborah Baofeng Wang
- Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Research for Mental Disorders, School of Mental Health and The Affiliated Wenzhou Kangning Hospital, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Aging, Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 32500, China.
| | - Yili Wu
- Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Research for Mental Disorders, School of Mental Health and The Affiliated Wenzhou Kangning Hospital, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Aging, Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 32500, China.
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Kukreti S, Hsieh MT, Liu CH, Chen JS, Chen YJ, Hsieh MT, Lin CY, Griffiths MD. Fear, Stress, Susceptibility, and Problematic Social Media Use Explain Motivation for COVID-19 Preventive Behaviors Among Patients With Stroke and Their Caregivers. INQUIRY : A JOURNAL OF MEDICAL CARE ORGANIZATION, PROVISION AND FINANCING 2024; 61:469580231225030. [PMID: 38314649 PMCID: PMC10845975 DOI: 10.1177/00469580231225030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic presented significant challenges for individuals who experienced stroke and their caregivers. It is essential to understand the factors affecting preventive behavior in these populations. Therefore, the present study examined the factors that influenced COVID-19 preventive behavior and motivation for COVID-19 vaccine uptake among patients with stroke and their caregivers. A cross-sectional study comprising 191 participants (81 patients with stroke and 110 caregivers) was carried out. Participants completed a survey assessing fear of COVID-19, stress, perceived susceptibility, problematic social media use, preventive behaviors, and motivation for vaccine uptake. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, and multiple linear regressions. Motivation for COVID-19 vaccine uptake was significantly positively correlated with problematic social media use (r = 0.225, P = .002), perceived susceptibility (r = 0.197, P = .008), and fear of COVID-19 (r = 0.179, P = .015), but negatively correlated with stress (r = -0.189, P = .010). Caregivers, compared to patients, showed a lower level of preventive behavior (standardized coefficient = -0.23, P = .017). Furthermore, higher levels of fear were associated with increased preventive behavior (standardized coefficient = 0.22, P = .006), while greater stress correlated with lower preventive behavior (standardized coefficient = -0.38, P < .001). Among patients with stroke and their caregivers, motivation of COVID-19 vaccine uptake and preventive behaviors were influenced by factors such as fear, perceived susceptibility, social media use, and stress. By using strategies such as targeted education, support, and communication campaigns, healthcare providers and policymakers may be able to enhance the well-being of patients with stroke and their caregivers during future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shikha Kukreti
- Department of Nursing, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Meng-Tsang Hsieh
- Stroke Center and Department of Neurology, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Chieh-hsiu Liu
- Department of Family Medicine, Taoyuan General Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Jung-Sheng Chen
- Department of Medical Research, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Jung Chen
- Institute of Allied Health Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Ta Hsieh
- Department of Family Medicine and Community Medicine, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Chung-Ying Lin
- Institute of Allied Health Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan
- Biostatistics Consulting Center, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
- Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, INTI International University, Nilai, Malaysia
| | - Mark D. Griffiths
- International Gaming Research Unit, Psychology Department, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK
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Zhang E, Wang X, Dai Z, Zhang X, Shang S, Fang Q. Is vaccine hesitancy related to mental health after the adjustment of the zero-COVID-19 strategy in the elderly? A mediation analysis in China. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2023; 19:2288726. [PMID: 38055950 PMCID: PMC10732663 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2023.2288726] [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: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
With the global Omicron pandemic and the adjustment of the zero-coronavirus disease 2019 (zero-COVID-19) strategy in China, there is a critical need to improve vaccination rates among older adults while addressing the mental health issues associated with vaccination. This study investigated levels of COVID-19-related anxiety, depression, benefit finding, and fear in older adults and explored the relationship between vaccine hesitancy, sociodemographic factors, and mental health. Participants aged 60 and older (n = 658) were recruited from several cities in the eastern, central, and western China regions. Of these, 347 exhibited vaccine hesitancy. The effects of residence, education, health status, and COVID-19 vaccination on anxiety/depression/benefit-finding were found to be mediated/suppressed by vaccine hesitancy. Additionally, in investigating psychological antecedents, older people without vaccine hesitancy showed higher confidence, lower complacency, fewer constraints, and a greater sense of collective responsibility. This study advances our understanding of mental health differences in anxiety, depression, and benefit-finding across sociodemographic characteristics. It is essential to improve population confidence related to vaccines, accessibility to vaccination services, and responsibility to mitigate vaccine hesitancy while paying close attention to the mental health associated with vaccination in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enming Zhang
- School of Nursing, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaolong Wang
- School of Nursing, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhengyue Dai
- School of Nursing, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xian Zhang
- Nursing Department, Caohejing Community Health Service Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuhui Shang
- School of Nursing, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiong Fang
- School of Nursing, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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Sarı T, Taşdelen-Karçkay A, Tarcan Ş. The development of the fear of earthquake scale: validity and reliability study in Türkiye after the 2023 earthquake. BMC Psychol 2023; 11:433. [PMID: 38062527 PMCID: PMC10704686 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-023-01477-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In 2023, Türkiye experienced a significant earthquake disaster that profoundly impacted 11 provinces. The enduring consequences of these earthquakes on daily life triggered widespread fears and anxieties in society, leading to scholarly investigations in this field. OBJECTIVE The primary objective of this study was to create and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Fear of Earthquake Scale (FES), a modified adaptation of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19 S), tailored to measure earthquake-related experiences in Türkiye. METHODS A total of 315 Turkish adult participants (106 men, 209 women), with a mean age of 37.71 years, completed the FES, along with the Brief Psychological Resilience Scale (BPRS). Psychometric analyses included confirmatory factor analysis as well as the evaluation of alternative factor structures, internal consistency, convergent validity, and criterion validity with respect to resilience. RESULTS The findings indicate that the Turkish version of the Fear of Earthquake Scale has strong psychometric properties in terms of validity and reliability. After assessing various factor structures, it was observed that the two-factor model which represents the emotional and somatic response to fear, exhibited the best-fit values The Cronbach's alpha coefficients were calculated as 0.89 for the overall FES, 0.84 for the emotional subscale and 0.86 for the somatic subscale, indicating high internal consistency. Additionally, the negative correlation between resilience and the FES supports the criterion validity of the scale, and multi-group confirmatory factor analyses proved that measurement invariance held across genders and whether they experienced an earthquake or not for all groups. Furthermore, the results of the study revealed that women and individuals with prior earthquake experience reported higher levels of fear of earthquakes. CONCLUSIONS The FES emerged as a reliable and valid tool for assessing earthquake-related fears among the Turkish population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuğba Sarı
- Department of Guidance and Psychological Counselling, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Arzu Taşdelen-Karçkay
- Department of Guidance and Psychological Counselling, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey.
| | - Şule Tarcan
- Department of Guidance and Psychological Counselling, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey
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Waddimba AC, DeSpain S, Bennett MM, Douglas ME, Warren AM. Longitudinal validation of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale in a nationwide United States sample: An item response theory model across three inflection points of the pandemic. Stress Health 2023; 39:1157-1170. [PMID: 37158412 DOI: 10.1002/smi.3259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic's global emergence/spread caused widespread fear. Measurement/tracking of COVID-19 fear could facilitate remediation. Despite the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S)'s validation in multiple languages/countries, nationwide United States (U.S.) studies are scarce. Cross-sectional classical test theory-based validation studies predominate. Our longitudinal study sampled respondents to a 3-wave, nationwide, online survey. We calibrated the FCV-19S using a unidimensional graded response model. Item/scale monotonicity, discrimination, informativeness, goodness-of-fit, criterion validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability were assessed. Items 7, 6, and 3 consistently displayed very high discrimination. Other items had moderate-to-high discrimination. Items 3, 6, and 7 were most (items 1 and 5 the least) informative. [Correction added on 18 May 2023, after first online publication: In the preceding sentence, the term 'items one-fifth least' has been changed to 'items 1 and 5 the least'.] Item scalability was 0.62-0.69; full-scale scalability 0.65-0.67. Ordinal reliability coefficient was 0.94; test-retest intraclass correlation coefficient 0.84. Positive correlations with posttraumatic stress/anxiety/depression, and negative correlations with emotional stability/resilience supported convergent/divergent validity. The FCV-19S validly/reliably captures temporal variation in COVID-19 fear across the U.S.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony C Waddimba
- Division of Surgical Research, Department of Surgery, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
- Baylor Scott and White Research Institute, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Sydney DeSpain
- Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine, Arkansas Colleges of Health Education, Fort Smith, Arkansas, USA
| | | | - Megan E Douglas
- Baylor Scott and White Research Institute, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Ann Marie Warren
- Baylor Scott and White Research Institute, Dallas, Texas, USA
- Division of Trauma & Critical Care Surgery, Department of Surgery, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
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Luk JW, Geda DW, Stangl BL, Cheng C, Schwandt ML, Goldman D, Diazgranados N, Ramchandani VA. Social media addiction as a mediator of the associations between fear of COVID-19, mental health symptoms, and problematic alcohol use. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1268890. [PMID: 38034930 PMCID: PMC10682110 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1268890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Fear of COVID-19 is a risk factor for anxiety and depressive symptoms. During the COVID-19 pandemic, drinking to cope with psychological distress has been proposed as a key mechanism leading to problematic drinking. The goal of this study was to test social media addiction as a mediator linking fear of COVID-19 to mental health symptoms and problematic alcohol use. Methods In between April 6 and July 2 of 2022, 250 participants completed an online survey as part of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Alcohol Study. Path analyses were conducted to test the mediational pathways. Results Using the polythetic classification scheme, 13.2% (n = 33) of participants were classified as having social media addiction. Compared with participants without social media addiction, participants with social media addiction spent significantly more time on social media platforms and on digital communications with a family member or friend. They also reported greater fear of COVID-19, higher anxiety symptoms, and higher depressive symptoms. Path analyses indicated that social media addiction mediated the associations of fear of COVID-19 with anxiety and depressive symptoms. Furthermore, there were indirect pathways linking fear of COVID-19 to problematic alcohol use through higher social media addiction and higher anxiety and depressive symptoms. Conclusion Social media addiction may be a maladaptive coping mechanism that individuals with high fear of COVID-19 utilized to deal with uncertainty and perceived risks during the pandemic. Findings underscore the need to examine cognitions related to fear of COVID-19 and address excessive social media use in the context of mental health and alcohol interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy W. Luk
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Daniel W. Geda
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Bethany L. Stangl
- Human Psychopharmacology Laboratory, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Cecilia Cheng
- Social and Health Psychology Laboratory, Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Melanie L. Schwandt
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - David Goldman
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, United States
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Rockville, MD, United States
| | - Nancy Diazgranados
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Vijay A. Ramchandani
- Human Psychopharmacology Laboratory, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, United States
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McCormick KM, Sethi S, Haag D, Macedo DM, Hedges J, Quintero A, Smithers L, Roberts R, Zimet G, Jamieson L, Ribeiro Santiago PH. Development and validation of the COVID-19 Impact Scale in Australia. Curr Med Res Opin 2023; 39:1341-1354. [PMID: 37656161 DOI: 10.1080/03007995.2023.2247323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted and continues to impact the health and well-being of Australian adults. However, there has been no instrument validated to comprehensively measure how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted adults in Australia across several domains (e.g. fear of COVID-19, attitudes towards vaccination, psychosocial impact of lockdowns).The current study conducted a rigorous psychometric process to develop and validate an instrument to measure the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, the COVID-19 Impact Scale (CIS). METHOD Data was obtained from the Australian population. Participants (N = 563) aged between 19 and 91 years (M = 54.50, SD = 16.16) provided online responses between June, 2021 and May, 2022. The majority of participants were female (60.9%), employed either full-time (37.7%) or part-time (22.0%), and had completed an undergraduate degree or higher (70.1%). An initial pool of 30 items was developed based on a review of the literature and input from a panel of experts including psychologists, epidemiologists, and public health experts, among others. The study used network psychometrics to examine the psychometric properties of: (1) item score distributions; (2) item redundancy; (3) dimensionality; (4) model fit; (5) measurement invariance; (6) reliability; and (7) criterion validity. RESULTS Following an evaluation of items for ceiling/floor effects and redundancy, the final CIS network model included eighteen nodes and displayed a three-dimensional structure. The three communities of "Fear" (consisting of three nodes; ω = 0.82), "Attitudes" (consisting of ten nodes; ω = 0.89), and "Ill-being" (consisting of five nodes; ω = 0.79) displayed adequate reliability. The evaluation of model fit indicated a good fit of the network model (RMSEA = 0.047; CFI =0.98). CONCLUSION The instrument is available to be used by Australian researchers and implemented to evaluate public policies, adapted for future pandemics, or used internationally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kym Michelle McCormick
- Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, Adelaide Dental School, The University of Adelaide, Australia
| | - Sneha Sethi
- Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, Adelaide Dental School, The University of Adelaide, Australia
| | - Dandara Haag
- Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, Adelaide Dental School, The University of Adelaide, Australia
- School of Public Health, The University of Adelaide, Australia
| | - Davi Manzini Macedo
- Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, Adelaide Dental School, The University of Adelaide, Australia
| | - Joanne Hedges
- Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, Adelaide Dental School, The University of Adelaide, Australia
| | - Adrian Quintero
- Icfes - Colombian Institute for Educational Evaluation, Colombia
| | - Lisa Smithers
- School of Health and Society, University of Wollongong, Australia
| | - Rachel Roberts
- School of Psychology, The University of Adelaide, Australia
| | | | - Lisa Jamieson
- Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, Adelaide Dental School, The University of Adelaide, Australia
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Prazeres F, Maricoto T, Lima IS, Simões P, Simões JA. COVID-19 or threat of a nuclear war in Europe? A cross-sectional study of anxiety levels in adults living in Portugal. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1159172. [PMID: 37583890 PMCID: PMC10423817 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1159172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Since 2019, Europe has experienced ongoing stressors with the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian-Ukrainian War, which have had social, financial, physical, and psychological impacts. Studies suggest that anxiety, fear, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and other psychological disorders are common in such situations, and there is a need for more research on the impact of the war on mental health in Portugal. The main goal of the present study was to assess the impact of the fear of COVID-19 and anxiety related to nuclear war on the general anxiety levels of adult individuals living in Portugal. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from May to July 2022 using an online questionnaire built on the Google Forms platform. Portuguese-speaking male and female individuals aged 18 years or older, who provided informed consent and agreed to participate, were included. The outcome variable was defined using the Portuguese version of the GAD-7 scale, while the main predictors were the FCV-19S and the NWA Scale in Portuguese. Linear and logistic regression models were used to test associations between predictors and outcome variable. Results The study included 1,182 participants, with a mean age of 46.5 (±11.7) years, mostly women (80.6%). The global mean GAD-7 score was 5.8 (±4.5) points, and 17.9% of the participants scored above the 10-point cutoff. Higher scores were found in both the FCV-19S and the NWA scale among participants with anxiety, as measured by both a 10-point cutoff (p < 0.001), and GAD-7 scale mean scores (p < 0.001). The study showed that fear of COVID-19 [OR of 1.133 (95%CI: 1.097-1.170)] and, at a lesser extent, nuclear war anxiety [OR of 1.020 (95%CI, 1.009-1.031)] contribute to anxiety in the general population. This is also true for those with a personal history of anxiety, revealed by multiple regression. Discussion This study contributes to the research on COVID-19's impact on anxiety and provides the first comprehensive assessment of nuclear war anxiety in Portugal. Results highlight the need for long-term care for anxiety, as prevalence is expected to increase due to the pandemic and war, even in non-conflict areas like Portugal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipe Prazeres
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
- Family Health Unit Beira Ria, Gafanha da Nazaré, Portugal
- CINTESIS@RISE, MEDCIDS, Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Tiago Maricoto
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
- Family Health Unit Beira Ria, Gafanha da Nazaré, Portugal
| | | | - Pedro Simões
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
- Personalized Health Care Unit Fundão, Fundão, Portugal
| | - José Augusto Simões
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
- CINTESIS@RISE, MEDCIDS, Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
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Perron-Tremblay R, Clément MÈ, Dubois-Comtois K. Fear of COVID-19 and parental violence: The mediating role of parental burnout and child perceived as difficult. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2023; 143:106284. [PMID: 37352648 PMCID: PMC10267501 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a worldwide increase in the incidence of child abuse. Studies show that the pandemic context contributes to exacerbate several risk factors usually associated with the use of violent disciplinary practices. OBJECTIVE This study aims to better understand the role of parental burnout and child perceived as difficult as a parental stressor in the link between fear of COVID-19 and the use of parental violence (minor and severe physical violence and repeated psychological aggression). PARTICIPANTS The sample includes 467 mothers living in Québec (Canada) with a child aged 5 or less. METHOD An online questionnaire, administered one year after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in Québec (March to May 2021), was used to measure parental violence, parental burnout, parental stress related to the perception of the child as difficult and fear of COVID-19. Serial mediation analyses were performed. RESULTS The main analyses confirmed the indirect association between fear of COVID-19 and the three forms of parental violence studied, through parental burnout and the child perceived as difficult. Unlike physical violence (minor and severe), the association between fear of COVID-19 and repeated psychological aggression is explained only by parental burnout. CONCLUSIONS This study has identified new mechanisms that allow a better understanding of processes underlying parental violence during the pandemic. It also shows that parental violence can also occur in low-risk families. It is crucial to develop strategies to prevent the use of violent disciplinary practices in future socio-health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roxanne Perron-Tremblay
- Département de psychologie, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, 3351, boul. des Forges, C.P. 500, Trois-Rivières, Québec, G9A 5H7, Canada
| | - Marie-Ève Clément
- Université du Québec en Outaouais, Saint-Jérôme, Québec, J7Z 0B7, Canada
| | - Karine Dubois-Comtois
- Département de psychologie, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, 3351, boul. des Forges, C.P. 500, Trois-Rivières, Québec, G9A 5H7, Canada; Hôpital en santé mentale Albert-Prévost, CIUSSS du Nord-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Canada.
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Bahrami N, Farahani E, Yousefi B, Hosseinpour F, Griffiths MD, Alimoradi Z. Association of social capital with mental health and quality of life among low- and high-risk pregnant women. Midwifery 2023; 123:103727. [PMID: 37229841 DOI: 10.1016/j.midw.2023.103727] [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: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Social capital means having resources and support in relationships and social ties. It can affect the individual's quality of life and mental health. The present study investigated the association between social capital with psychological status and quality of life among low-risk and high-risk pregnant women. METHODS The present cross-sectional study was conducted with the participation of 394 pregnant women receiving prenatal care in urban comprehensive health centers in Qazvin, Iran. Two-stage sampling was used to select comprehensive health centers by random cluster sampling and then pregnant women randomly. Social capital, quality of life (QoL), psychological status, and demographic and obstetric characteristics were assessed. Uni-variable and multivariable linear regression models were used to analyze the data. RESULTS Among the participants, 267 had low-risk pregnancies (67.77%) and the remainder were high-risk. The mean age of participants was 27.94 years (SD=5.86), the mean gestational age was 23.63 weeks (SD=7.71). The mean overall quality of life score among low-risk pregnant women was 32.00 (SD=5.27) and among high-risk pregnant women was 29.70 (SD=3.65). High-risk pregnant women experienced significantly higher anxiety and depression and fear of COVID-19. Social capital had a significant and weak relationship with anxiety among low-risk pregnant women (r = 0.22, p < 0.001). Also, a weak and significant relationship between social capital and anxiety (r = 0.24, p = 0.007), depression (r = 0.24, p = 0.007) and fear of COVID-19 (r = 0.27, p = 0.002) was found among high-risk pregnant women. CONCLUSION Women with high-risk pregnancies experienced lower quality of life, higher anxiety and depression, and greater fear of COVID-19. There was also a weak relationship between social capital and the aforementioned variables among high-risk pregnant women. Designing and implementing interventions to increase quality of life and reduce anxiety and stress among high-risk pregnant women appears to be warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nasim Bahrami
- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Research Institute for Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin 34197-59811, Iran
| | - Elaheh Farahani
- Student Research Committee, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
| | - Bahareh Yousefi
- Student Research Committee, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Hosseinpour
- Student Research Committee, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
| | - Mark D Griffiths
- Psychology Department, Nottingham Trent University, United Kingdom
| | - Zainab Alimoradi
- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Research Institute for Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin 34197-59811, Iran.
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Caycho-Rodríguez T, Lee SA, Vilca LW, Lobos-Rivera ME, Flores-Monterrosa AN, Tejada Rodríguez JC, Chacón-Andrade ER, Marroquín-Carpio WC, Carbajal-León C, Reyes-Bossio M, Delgado-Campusano M, Torales J. A Psychometric Analysis of the Spanish Version of the Grief Impairment Scale: A Screening Tool of Biopsychosocial Grief-Related Functional Impairment in a Salvadoran Sample. OMEGA-JOURNAL OF DEATH AND DYING 2023:302228231175383. [PMID: 37154932 DOI: 10.1177/00302228231175383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The objective of this study was to translate and psychometrically evaluate a Spanish version of the Grief Impairment Scale (GIS) using a sample of bereaved adults from El Salvador (N = 579). The results confirm the unidimensional structure of the GIS, and solid reliability, item characteristics, and criterion-related validity, where the GIS scale significantly and positively predicts depression. However, this instrument only showed evidence of configural and metric invariance between different sex groups. Overall, these results support the Spanish version of the GIS as a psychometrically sound screening tool for health professionals and researchers to use in their clinical work.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lindsey W Vilca
- South American Center for Education and Research in Public Health, Universidad Norbert Wiener, Lima, Peru
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Carlos Carbajal-León
- South American Center for Education and Research in Public Health, Universidad Norbert Wiener, Lima, Peru
| | | | | | - Julio Torales
- Universidad Nacional de Asunción, San Lorenzo, Paraguay
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Valladares-Garrido MJ, León-Figueroa DA, Picón-Reátegui CK, García-Vicente A, Valladares-Garrido D, Failoc-Rojas VE, Pereira-Victorio CJ. Prevalence and Factors Associated with Eating Disorders in Military First Line of Defense against COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study during the Second Epidemic Wave in Peru. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:2848. [PMID: 36833544 PMCID: PMC9957196 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20042848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Few studies have evaluated eating disorders in military personnel engaged in defense activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with eating disorders in military personnel from Lambayeque, Peru. A secondary data analysis was performed among 510 military personnel during the second epidemic wave of COVID-19 in Peru. We used the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) to assess eating disorders. We explored associations with insomnia, food insecurity, physical activity, resilience, fear to COVID-19, burnout syndrome, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress and selected sociodemographic variables. Eating disorders were experienced by 10.2% of participants. A higher prevalence of eating disorders was associated with having 7 to 12 months (PR: 2.97; 95% CI: 1.24-7.11) and 19 months or more (PR: 2.62; 95% CI: 1.11-6.17) working in the first line of defense against COVID-19, fear of COVID-19 (PR: 2.20; 95% CI: 1.26-3.85), burnout syndrome (PR: 3.73; 95% CI: 1.90-7.33) and post-traumatic stress (PR: 2.97; 95% CI: 1.13-7.83). A low prevalence of eating disorders was found in the military personnel. However, prevention of this problem should be focused on at-risk groups that experience mental health burdens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario J. Valladares-Garrido
- South American Center for Education and Research in Public Health, Universidad Norbert Wiener, Lima 15046, Peru
- Oficina de Epidemiología, Hospital Regional Lambayeque, Chiclayo 14012, Peru
| | - Darwin A. León-Figueroa
- Emerge, Emerging Diseases and Climate Change Research Unit, School of Public Health and Administration, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima 15013, Peru
- School of Medicine, Universidad de San Martín de Porres, Chiclayo 14012, Peru
| | | | - Abigaíl García-Vicente
- School of Medicine, Universidad Nacional de Piura, Piura 20002, Peru
- Sociedad Científica de Estudiantes de Medicina de la Universidad Nacional de Piura (SOCIEMUNP), Piura 20002, Peru
| | - Danai Valladares-Garrido
- School of Medicine, Universidad Cesar Vallejo, Piura 20001, Peru
- Unidad de Epidemiología y Salud Ambiental, Hospital de Apoyo II Santa Rosa, Piura 20008, Peru
| | - Virgilio E. Failoc-Rojas
- Research Unit for Generation and Synthesis Evidence in Health, Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola, Lima 15024, Peru
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Alimoradi Z, Bahrami N, Khodaparast S, Griffiths MD, Pakpour AH. Mediating role of psychological distress and domestic violence in the association of fear of COVID-19 with marital satisfaction and sexual quality of life among women of reproductive age: An Iranian cross-sectional study. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e068916. [PMID: 36746547 PMCID: PMC9905787 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-068916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study aimed to determine the mediating role of psychological distress and domestic violence in the association of fear of COVID-19 with marital satisfaction and sexual quality of life (QoL) among Iranian women of reproductive age. METHODS A cross-sectional study comprising 324 married women was conducted. Online convenience sampling was used to collect data. SPSS PROCESS macro was used for the mediation analysis. The direct and indirect effects of the fear of COVID-19 on sexual QoL and marital satisfaction were estimated comprising a 95% CI using 5000 bootstrap samples. Pairwise comparisons between the mediators were calculated by Hayes' macros. RESULTS A positive/negative or suspected history of COVID-19 infection had marginally significant relationship with marital satisfaction (p=0.049). The total effect of fear of COVID-19 on sexual QoL was significant (b=-1.31, SE=0.20, p<0.001). Fear of COVID-19 had no significant direct effect on sexual QoL (b=-0.22, SE=0.19, p=0.24) but it had an indirect effect on sexual QoL via mediation of psychological distress (b=-0.34, SE=0.09, 95% CI: -0.53 to -0.19) and domestic violence (b=-0.75, SE=0.18, 95% CI: -1.12 to -0.40). The total effect of fear of COVID-19 on marital satisfaction was significant (b=-1.91, SE=0.32, p<0.001). Fear of COVID-19 had no significant direct effect (b=0.20, SE=0.25, p=0.42) on marital satisfaction but it had an indirect effect on marital satisfaction via mediation of psychological distress (b=-0.59, SE=0.13, 95% CI: -0.86 to -0.36) and domestic violence (b=-1.51, SE=0.29, 95% CI: -2.08 to -0.92). CONCLUSION The fear of COVID-19 during the pandemic indirectly decreased women's marital satisfaction and sexual QoL via increased psychological distress and domestic violence. Consequently, in critical situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic, improving couples' psychological health and reducing domestic violence are likely to improve women's sexual QoL and marital satisfaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zainab Alimoradi
- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Research Institute for Prevention of Non-communicable Diseases, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
| | - Nasim Bahrami
- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Research Institute for Prevention of Non-communicable Diseases, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
| | - Samaneh Khodaparast
- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Research Institute for Prevention of Non-communicable Diseases, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
| | - Mark D Griffiths
- Psychology Department, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK
| | - Amir H Pakpour
- Department of Nursing,School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden
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15
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Blümel JE, Vallejo MS, Bencosme A, Calle A, Dextre M, Díaz K, López M, Miranda C, Ñañez M, Ojeda E, Rey C, Rodrigues MAH, Salinas C, Tserotas K, Aedo S, Pérez-López FR. Post-COVID-19 syndrome in a sample of climacteric women living in Latin America. Menopause 2023; 30:165-173. [PMID: 36477574 DOI: 10.1097/gme.0000000000002123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to assess resilience, fear of COVID-19, sleep disorders, and menopause-related symptoms after the acute phase of COVID-19 in middle-aged women with positive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and noninfected women. METHODS This is a cross-sectional, analytical study of climacteric women from 9 Latin American countries, aged 40-64 years, attending a routine health checkup. We evaluated clinical characteristics and used the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, the Jenkins Sleep Scale, and the Menopause Rating Scale to evaluate their health. RESULTS A total of 1,238 women were studied, including 304 who were positive for COVID-19 reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The median (interquartile range) age was 53 (12) years; years of studies, 16 (6); body mass index, 25.6 (5.1) kg/m 2 ; and time since first COVID-19 symptom, 8 (6) months. COVID-19 patients reported fatigability (18.8%), joint and muscular discomfort (14.1%), and anosmia (9.5%). They had a significantly lower resilience score (26.87 ± 8.94 vs 29.94 ± 6.65), higher Fear of COVID-19 score (17.55 ± 7.44 vs 15.61 ± 6.34), and a higher Jenkins Scale score (6.10 ± 5.70 vs 5.09 ± 5.32) compared with control women. A logistic regression model confirmed these results. There was not a significant difference in the total Menopause Rating Scale score, although the odds ratios for both severe menopausal symptoms (1.34; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-1.76) and the use of hypnotics were higher in women with COVID-19 (1.80; 95% confidence interval, 1.29-2.50) compared with those without infection. We found no decrease in studied outcomes between the initial 7 months versus those reported after 8 to 18 months since first COVID-19 symptoms. CONCLUSIONS COVID-19 climacteric women have sleep disorders, lower resilience and higher fear of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Enrique Blümel
- From the Departamento de Medicina Interna Sur, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile
| | - María Soledad Vallejo
- Clínica Quilín, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile
| | - Ascanio Bencosme
- Ginecología Obstetricia, Hospital Metropolitano de Santiago, Santiago de los Caballeros, República Dominicana
| | - Andrés Calle
- Centro Integral de Salud Obstétrica y Femenina, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Maribel Dextre
- Ginecología Obstetricia, Clínica Internacional-Clínica Javier Prado, Lima, Perú
| | - Karen Díaz
- Centro Ciudad Mujer, Ministerio de Salud, Asunción, Paraguay
| | | | - Carlos Miranda
- Hospital Central FAP-Instituto Médico Miraflores, Lima, Perú
| | - Mónica Ñañez
- Segunda Cátedra de Ginecología, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Eliana Ojeda
- Departamento Académico de Medicina Humana, Universidad Andina del Cusco, Cusco, Perú
| | - Claudia Rey
- Medicina Ginecológica Consultorios Médicos, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | | | | | - Sócrates Aedo
- School of Medicine, University Finis Terrae, Santiago de Chile, Chile
| | - Faustino R Pérez-López
- Instituto Aragonés de Ciencias de la Salud, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
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Bisenius S, Treml J, Hanschmidt F, Kersting A. Stigmatization profiles and psychological distress in people at high risk of infection with COVID-19 -A study conducted in Germany from March to August 2021. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0285788. [PMID: 37200379 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0285788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023] Open
Abstract
COVID-19-related stigmatization of affected people or people at risk of infection has been shown to enhance the reluctance of affected individuals to use health services and reduce their mental health. It is thus highly important to gain a thorough understanding of COVID-19-related stigmatization. The present study's first aim was to explore stigmatization profiles of experienced stigmatization (anticipated stigmatization, internalized stigmatization, enacted stigmatization, disclosure concerns) and stigmatization practices in 371 German people at high risk of infection using latent class analyses. The second aim was to investigate the relationship between stigmatization profiles and psychological distress via multiple regression analysis taking into account other possible negative and positive risk factors. Our results showed two stigmatization profiles: "high stigmatization group" and "low stigmatization group". Belonging to the "high stigmatization group" was significantly correlated with higher levels of psychological distress. Other risk factors significantly related to psychological distress were mental health disorders in the past, exposure to COVID-19, fear related to COVID-19, perceived risk of being infected, lower perceived self-efficacy, and lower subjective knowledge about COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandrine Bisenius
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Saxony, Germany
| | - Julia Treml
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Saxony, Germany
| | - Franz Hanschmidt
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Saxony, Germany
| | - Anette Kersting
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Saxony, Germany
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Cárdenas Soriano P, Rodriguez-Blazquez C, Forjaz MJ, Ayala A, Rojo-Perez F, Fernandez-Mayoralas G, Molina-Martinez MA, de Arenaza Escribano CP, Rodriguez-Rodriguez V. Validation of the Spanish Version of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) in Long-Term Care Settings. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:16183. [PMID: 36498256 PMCID: PMC9741095 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192316183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Fear of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is one of the main psychological impacts of the actual pandemic, especially among the population groups with higher mortality rates. The Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) has been used in different scenarios to assess fear associated with COVID-19, but this has not been done frequently in people living in long-term care (LTC) settings. The present study is aimed at measuring the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the FCV-19S in residents in LTC settings, following both the classical test theory (CTT) and Rasch model frameworks. The participants (n = 447), aged 60 years or older, were asked to complete the FCV-19S and to report, among other issues, their levels of depression, resilience, emotional wellbeing and health-related quality of life with validated scales. The mean FCV-19S score was 18.36 (SD 8.28, range 7−35), with higher scores for women, participants with lower education (primary or less) and higher adherence to preventive measures (all, p < 0.05). The Cronbach’s alpha for the FCV-19S was 0.94. After eliminating two items due to a lack of fit, the FCV-19S showed a good fit to the Rasch model (χ2 (20) = 30.24, p = 0.019, PSI = 0.87), with unidimensionality (binomial 95% CI 0.001 to 0.045) and item local independency. Question 5 showed differential item functioning by sex. The present study shows that the FCV-19S has satisfactory reliability and validity, which supports its use to effectively measure fear in older people living in LTC settings. This tool could help identify risk groups that may need specific health education and effective communication strategies to lower fear levels. This might have a beneficial impact on adherence to preventive measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pilar Cárdenas Soriano
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University Hospital of Albacete, ES-02006 Albacete, Spain
| | - Carmen Rodriguez-Blazquez
- National Centre of Epidemiology and Network Centre for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Carlos III Institute of Health, ES-28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Maria João Forjaz
- National Centre of Epidemiology and Health Service Research Network on Chronic Diseases (REDISSEC) and Research Network on Chronicity, Primary Care and Health Promotion (RICAPPS), Carlos III Institute of Health, ES-28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Alba Ayala
- Department of Statistics, University Carlos III of Madrid, and Health Service Research Network on Chronic Diseases (REDISSEC), Carlos III Institute of Health, ES-28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Fermina Rojo-Perez
- Grupo de Investigacion Sobre Envejecimiento (GIE), IEGD, CSIC, ES-28037 Madrid, Spain
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Swed S, Kashkash F, Shoib S, Shaheen N, Nasif MN, Motawea KR, ElHawary AS, AbdelQadir YH, Patwary MM, Alibrahim H, Sawaf B, Khairy LT, Bakkour A, Muwaili AHH, Muwaili DHH, Abdelmajid FAA, Elkalagi NKH, Elsayed M, Ahmed EMS, Khouri A. Anxiety and depression among patient's companions during admission to the ICU in the Omicron wave of COVID-19: A cross-sectional study in Aleppo University Hospital. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0273900. [PMID: 36315494 PMCID: PMC9621420 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND After the COVID-19 pandemic, anxiety and depression have reached high levels, especially after the last wave, Omicron. Healthcare workers in contact with COVID-19 patients or those who come in contact with them may exhibit high levels of anxiety and depression. Therefore, we aimed to assess anxiety and depression symptoms among ICU companions of COVID-19 patients. METHODS From 30 November 2021 to 1 March 2022, sixth-year medical students at Aleppo University Hospital conducted interviews with the companions of COVID-19 patients who they brought their patient to the ICU centre as part of a cross-sectional quantitative study using the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 tools to gauge their level of anxiety and depression among companions of COVID-19 patients. The data were analyzed using the SPSS program. In addition, logistic regression models were used to study possible factors of anxiety and depression symptoms during COVID-19. RESULTS The total number was 997 participants in contact with COVID-19 patients. The mean score of the depression assessment tool (PHQ-9) in our questionnaire was 9.5 with a range of 0 to 27. At the same time, the anxiety assessment tool (GAD-7) had a mean score of 9.1, ranging from 0 to 21. A binary logistic regression was used to predict the relationship between depression and anxiety and various factors. We found that the companions with medical specialties were substantially less likely to develop anxiety than other companions [AOR = 0.459; 95%CI (0.23-0.9)], in addition females were substantially higher likely to develop depression than males [AOR = 1.322; 95%CI (0.992-1.762)]. 45.4% of companions had moderate to severe anxiety, in additon 50.8% of companions had moderate to severe depression. CONCLUSION Our research reveals that moderate to severe anxiety and sadness are present in roughly half of the COVID19 patients' companions. Females, people with children, and hard workers were more inclined to feel anxious than others, and those who are not in the medical field were more likely to suffer from depression than others, thus it is critical to assist these groups during the present outbreaks (Omicron and Monkeybox).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarya Swed
- Faculty of Medicine, Aleppo University, Aleppo, Syria
- * E-mail:
| | - Fateh Kashkash
- Department of Pulmonology, Aleppo University Hospital, Aleppo, Syria
| | - Sheikh Shoib
- Department of Psychiatry, Jawahar Lal Nehru Memorial Hospital, Srinagar, Kashmir, India
| | - Nour Shaheen
- Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | | | | | | | | | - Muhammad Mainuddin Patwary
- Environment and Sustainability Research Initiative, Khulna, Bangladesh
- Environmental Science Discipline, Life Science School, Khulna University, Khulna, Bangladesh
| | | | - Bisher Sawaf
- Department of Internal Medicine, Syrian Private University, Damascus, Syria
| | | | - Agyad Bakkour
- Faculty of Medicine, Albaath University, Homs, Syria
| | | | | | | | | | - Mohamed Elsayed
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy III, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Abdullah Khouri
- The President of Department of Pulmonology, Aleppo University Hospital, Aleppo, Syria
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19
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Wang Y, Li Y. Physical activity and mental health in sports university students during the COVID-19 school confinement in Shanghai. Front Public Health 2022; 10:977072. [PMID: 36304249 PMCID: PMC9595595 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.977072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Background In 2022, Shanghai was seriously affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The government implemented citywide static management for 2 months, as well as all universities in Shanghai, which changed the normal learning and living style of sports students and led to a decline in physical activity level. As the physical activity has a strong correlation with mental health, this study aimed to investigate the current state of physical activity (PA) and mental health of the students in Shanghai University of Sport. It will try to reveal the correlation between PA and depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, fear of COVID-19 and smartphone addiction. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted on a random sample of 400 students who came from six different majors in May 2022 at the Shanghai University of Sport. Respondents completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF), the Chinese version of the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), the Chinese version of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), the Chinese version of the COVID-19 Fear Scale (FCV- 19S), and the Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS-SV). Demographics, PA, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, fear of COVID-19, and smartphone addiction were compared. A binary logistic regression model was used for the further analysis. Results A total of 376 college students were included in the final analysis. Binary logistics analysis showed that moderate physical activity (MPA) was negatively correlated with depression (OR = 0.95, 95%CI = 0.93-0.98), anxiety (OR = 0.97, 95%CI = 0.95-0.99), fear of COVID 19(OR = 0.99, 95%CI = 0.98-0.99)and smartphone addiction (OR = 0.94, 95%CI = 0.9-0.98) (all P < 0.05). Sedentary behavior was positively correlated with smartphone addiction (OR = 1.01, P < 0.01, 95%CI = 1.001-1.004). Conclusion There was an association between the presence of MPA and depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, fear of COVID-19, smartphone addiction, and sedentary behavior associated with smartphone addiction levels. Clarifying the causal relationship between PA and mental health will require further research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Youqiang Li
- School of Physical Education, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
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20
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Hübner T, Wolfgang T, Theis AC, Steber M, Wiedenmann L, Wöckel A, Diessner J, Hein G, Gründahl M, Kämmerer U, Kittel-Schneider S, Bartmann C. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on stress and other psychological factors in pregnant women giving birth during the first wave of the pandemic. Reprod Health 2022; 19:189. [PMID: 36064560 PMCID: PMC9444078 DOI: 10.1186/s12978-022-01493-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The onset of mental illness such as depression and anxiety disorders in pregnancy and postpartum period is common. The coronavirus induced disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the resulting public policy responses represent an exceptional situation worldwide and there are hints for adverse psychosocial impact, hence, the study of psychological effects of the pandemic in women during hospitalization for delivery and in the postpartum period is highly relevant. METHODS Patients who gave birth during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany (March to June 2020) at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Würzburg, Germany, were recruited at hospital admission for delivery. Biosamples were collected for analysis of SARS-CoV-2 infection and various stress hormones and interleukin-6 (IL-6). In addition to sociodemographic and medical obstetric data, survey questionnaires in relation to concerns about and fear of COVID-19, depression, stress, anxiety, loneliness, maternal self-efficacy and the mother-child bonding were administered at T1 (delivery stay) and T2 (3-6 months postpartum). RESULTS In total, all 94 recruited patients had a moderate concern of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) at T1 with a significant rise at T2. This concern correlated with low to low-medium general psychosocial stress levels and stress symptoms, and the women showed a significant increase of active coping from T1 to T2. Anxiety levels were low and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale showed a medium score of 5 with a significant (T1), but only week correlation with the concerns about SARS-CoV-2. In contrast to the overall good maternal bonding without correlation to SARS-CoV-2 concern, the maternal self-efficiency correlated negatively with the obstetric impairment caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSION Obstetric patients` concerns regarding SARS-CoV-2 and the accompanying pandemic increased during the course of the pandemic correlating positively with stress and depression. Of note is the increase in active coping over time and the overall good mother-child-bonding. Maternal self-efficacy was affected in part by the restrictions of the pandemic. Clinical trial registration DRKS00022506.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theresa Hübner
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 4, 97080, Würzburg, Germany.
| | - Tanja Wolfgang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 4, 97080, Würzburg, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Margarete-Höppel-Platz 1, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Ann-Catrin Theis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 4, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Magdalena Steber
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 4, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Lea Wiedenmann
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 4, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Achim Wöckel
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 4, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Joachim Diessner
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 4, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Grit Hein
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Margarete-Höppel-Platz 1, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Marthe Gründahl
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Margarete-Höppel-Platz 1, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Ulrike Kämmerer
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 4, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sarah Kittel-Schneider
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Margarete-Höppel-Platz 1, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Catharina Bartmann
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 4, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
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21
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Koiwa K, Wakashima K, Ikuta M, Asai K, Takagi G. Fear of COVID-19 infection and related factors in Japan: A comparison of college students, pregnant women, hospital nurses and the general public. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0271176. [PMID: 35830424 PMCID: PMC9278735 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0271176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The fear of COVID-19 has become a social problem during the pandemic. The present study compares the fear of COVID-19 among members of the general public, college students, pregnant women, and hospital nurses. It also examines various factors associated with the fear of COVID-19. In this study, we conducted a survey of the general public on fear of infection and related factors and compared from previous studies of college students, pregnant women, and hospital nurses. A crowdsourced survey was administered to 450 members of the general public, who were asked about their fear of COVID-19 infection. Data from college students, nurses, and pregnant women were recruited from a May-June 2020 survey on fear of COVID-19. An analysis of variance was used to compare the fear of infection among different attribution. The results showed that more pregnant women and fewer college students feared infection, as did equal numbers of hospital nurses and members of the general public. The multiple regression analysis revealed that college students and pregnant women associated the fear of infection with their key source of information, while hospital nurses associated the fear of infection with living with an older person. These results suggest that pregnant women have a significant fear of infection, which is further defined by the risk of serious illness in cases of infection. Although the fear of infection is relatively low among hospital nurses, they fear becoming a source of infection. These results reveal the groups in Japan that fear infection and the reasons for their concern. The present study may help to provide psychological support to counteract the fear of infection in vulnerable groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kohei Koiwa
- Faculty of Education, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Michiko Ikuta
- Graduate School of Health and Welfare, Kanagawa University of Human Services, Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Keigo Asai
- Graduate School of Education, Hokkaido University of Education, Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Gen Takagi
- Faculty of Comprehensive Welfare, Tohoku Fukushi University, Sendai, Japan
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22
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El-Khodary B, Veronese G, Diab M. Fear of COVID-19 and academic stress among Palestinian university students during the pandemic: the mediating role of mental health. BRITISH JOURNAL OF GUIDANCE & COUNSELLING 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/03069885.2022.2080805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Basel El-Khodary
- Department of Psychology, Islamic University Gaza, Gaza, Palestine
| | - Guido Veronese
- Department of Human Sciences & Education R. Massa, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy
| | - Marwan Diab
- Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
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23
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Al‐Yateem N, Ahmed FR, Alameddine M, Dias JM, Saifan AR, Subu MA, Hijazi H, AbuRuz ME. Psychological distress among the nursing workforce in the United Arab Emirates: Comparing levels before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nurs Forum 2022; 57:1314-1320. [PMID: 36210355 PMCID: PMC9874575 DOI: 10.1111/nuf.12808] [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: 07/02/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nurses make up the majority of the healthcare workforce. They contribute to the development of healthcare systems and the provision of high-quality, effective, and patient-centered healthcare services. However, nurses need good mental and emotional well-being to provide adequate care and the necessary physical and mental health support for their clients. This study aimed to determine the level of generalized psychological distress among nurses in the United Arab Emirates. As this study was initiated before the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, we were able to compare data gathered before and during the pandemic. METHOD This study used a cross-sectional correlational design. The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) was used to measure generalized psychological distress. Nurses' distress levels were measured and compared before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS In total, 988 participants completed the questionnaire. The majority (n = 629, 63.7%) were employed in hospitals and the remainder worked in primary healthcare settings (n = 359, 36.3%). The mean distress score was 27.1 ± 13.7; 42.1% (n = 416) of participants had a severe level of distress, and only 36.4% (n = 360) reported no distress. More participants had severe stress levels before COVID-19 (59.5%, n = 386) compared with during COVID-19 (10.9%, n = 30). CONCLUSIONS Participants' K10 scores suggest that nurses experience significant distress, which may compromise their ability to care for their clients. This study emphasizes the importance of supporting nurses as a preliminary step to improving patient care. Despite the pressure of working during the COVID-19 pandemic, participants' general distress scores were lower during than before the pandemic. Organizational, governmental, and global support and appreciation may have contributed to relieving the distress nurses experienced. This may be a useful ongoing approach for enhancing healthcare systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nabeel Al‐Yateem
- Nursing Department, College of Health SciencesUniversity of SharjahSharjahUAE,Research Institute of Medical & Health Sciences ‐ Health and Workforce Studies Research GroupUniversity of SharjahSharjahUnited Arab Emirates
| | - Fatma Refaat Ahmed
- Nursing Department, College of Health SciencesUniversity of SharjahSharjahUAE
| | - Mohamad Alameddine
- Research Institute of Medical & Health Sciences ‐ Health and Workforce Studies Research GroupUniversity of SharjahSharjahUnited Arab Emirates,Health Service Administration Department, Faculty of Health SciencesUniversity of SharjahSharjahUAE
| | | | - Ahmad Rajeh Saifan
- Clinical Nursing DepartmentApplied Science Private UniversityAmmanJordan
| | - Muhamad Arsyad Subu
- Nursing Department, College of Health SciencesUniversity of SharjahSharjahUAE
| | - Heba Hijazi
- Research Institute of Medical & Health Sciences ‐ Health and Workforce Studies Research GroupUniversity of SharjahSharjahUnited Arab Emirates,Department of Health Management and Policy, Faculty of MedicineJordan University of Science and TechnologyIrbidJordan
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