A Correlational Study to assess the Level of Anxiety and Social Media Exposure during COVID Outbreak Among Middle Aged Adults in Selected Area at Tirupati

Abstract

The outbreak of COVID-19 in China has affected the lives of many. It has not only affected the people economically/ professionally but even mentally and emotionally. Level of anxiety and its association with social media exposure among middle-aged adults was assessed during this outbreak, there was excess use of social media which can increase the anxiety. Objectives of the study were: To assess the levels of anxiety and social media exposure, to identify the co-relation between levels of anxiety and social media exposure and to associate the levels of anxiety and the social media exposure with selected demographic variables during COVID outbreak among middle aged adults. A correlational study design was employed on 35 middle aged adults at rural area of Tirupati by using Nonprobability Convenient Sampling technique. The level of anxiety was assessed using a standard GAD-7 scale and social media exposure was assessed by using a structured questionnaire. The results were out of 35 sample 11.40% had mild anxiety, 40% had moderate anxiety, 42.90% had moderate severe anxiety and 5.70% had severe anxiety (31.9±3.03) and 91.40% had average social media exposure and 8.60% had above average social media exposure (10.2±3.54). Based on the obtained findings this study demonstrated that there is moderate positive correlation between the level of anxiety and social media exposure. There is correlation between the level of anxiety and social media exposure with the demographic variables. There is significant association between the health status with level of anxiety and with social media exposure at p<0.05 level.