Abstract
IntroductionCOVID-19 is a respiratory infection that causes not only somatic health issues, but also frequently psychosocial burdens. The aims of this study were to investigate biopsychosocial factors that might further aggravate fear of COVID-19, and to establish a biopsychosocial model of severe fear of COVID-19.Methods368 participants were included in this study. Biopsychosocial factors observed comprised biological factors (somatic risk), psychological factors (state/trait anxiety, physical symptoms of anxiety, severe health anxiety, specific phobias, depression), and psychosocial factors (social support, financial losses, social media consumption, social contacts with COVID-19 infected people). Psychometric questionnaires included State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Beck’s Anxiety Inventory, Whiteley-Index / Illness Attitude Scales, Specific Phobia Questionnaire, WHO-5 and Social Support Survey.Results162/368 (44.0%) participants had almost no fear, 170/368 (46.2%) participants had moderate fear, and 45/368 (12.2%) participants had severe fear of COVID-19. Female participants showed higher levels of fear of COVID-19 than male participants (gender: χ2 = 18.47, p<0.001). However, the level of fear of COVID-19 increased in male participants when they had contact with people who were infected with COVID-19, while in contrast the level of fear of COVID-19 decreased in female participants when they had such contacts [ANCOVA: fear of COVID-19 (contact x gender): F(1,363) = 5.596, p = .019]. Moreover, participants without relationships showed higher levels of fear of COVID-19 (marital status: χ2 = 14.582, p = 0.024). Furthermore, financial losses due to the COVID-19 were associated with higher levels of fear of COVID-19 [ANCOVA: fear of COVID-19(financial loss x gender): F(1, 363) = 22.853, p< .001]. Multiple regression analysis revealed female gender, severe health anxiety (WI-IAS) and state /trait anxiety (STAI) as significant predictors of severe fear of COVID-19.ConclusionIn this study significant predictors of severe fear of COVID-19 were female gender, pre-existing state and trait anxiety, as well as severe health anxiety. The finding of significant predictors of fear of COVID-19 might contribute to detect people who might suffer most from severe, overwhelming fear of COVID-19 at an early stage.
Highlights
COVID-19 is a respiratory infection that causes somatic health issues, and frequently psychosocial burdens
Severity Measure for Specific Phobia [15] adapted for COVID-19: It measures the level of fear of COVID-19
Based on the Severity Measure for Specific Phobia [15] adapted for COVID-19 the participants were split into three groups with different levels of fear of COVID-19: a) people with almost no fear of COVID-19 (n = 162/368, 44.02%), b) people with moderate fear of COVID-19 (n = 161/368, 43.75%), c) people who had severe levels of fear of COVID-19 with potential phobic characteristics (n = 45/368, 12.23%)
Summary
COVID-19 is a respiratory infection that causes somatic health issues, and frequently psychosocial burdens. Some coronaviruses are able to cause severe somatic complications such as pneumonia, respiratory failure and death. Those coronavirus-variants consist of SARS-COV, MERS (Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome) and a new variant of 2019 that was named SARS-COV2 and causes the disease COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease of 2019). It is suspected that the origin of the virus has been in Wuhan, China, where the virus managed to transmit from animals (suspected animal being the pangolin) in a live animal market. From Wuhan, China the virus promptly found its way to spread around the world, causing a worldwide pandemic [1]
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