Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant psychological consequences among the public, especially for people in the epicenter. This study examined the 'bull's eye' model by comparing the level of psychological distress and the effect of different stressors in Wuhan (the original epicenter) with that in the surrounding areas in Hubei Province during the pandemic. Data were obtained from a cross-national survey of 10 478 respondents between the ages of 18 and 80 years in Hubei Province during the peak of the pandemic. Results of the ordinary least squares regression models showed that Wuhan residents experienced more psychological distress than those in the surrounding areas. Social and economic problems caused by the pandemic, risk exposure, perceived discrimination, and information-seeking behaviors were positively associated with distress. Social assistance was negatively associated with distress. Findings were consistent with the bull's eye model by revealing both a higher level of psychological distress and a stronger effect of stressors among the Wuhan residents than with those in low-risk areas. Thus, policymakers and psychological workers should provide adequate psychological services in high-risk areas. Lowering risk exposure, reducing discrimination against people in the epicenter, and improving information quality are essential to alleviate their psychological distress.
Highlights
The 2019 Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) first reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, has spread rapidly worldwide
Age showed a nonlinear relationship with psychological distress
Members of the Communist Party of China (CCP) were more likely to experience distress than non-CCP members partly because they were pushed to the front line of the community battle against COVID-19 and experienced high levels of risk exposure to COVID-19
Summary
The 2019 Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) first reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, has spread rapidly worldwide. More than 426.6 million infected cases of COVID-19 and nearly 5.9 million related deaths (World Health Organization, 2022) have been reported as of 20 February 2022. It has impacted the lifestyles, economy, and the physical and mental health of individuals worldwide (Wang et al, 2021a, 2021b). Governments have taken different measures, including containment-related actions and economic and health policies. Some of these measures are beneficial for the wellbeing of the population (Lee et al, 2021), whereas some measures such as lockdown, may cause mental health problems, including anxiety and depression (Le et al, 2020; Tran et al, 2020). Examining and exploring individual’s mental health and its associated factors are crucial for both academic researchers and public health policymakers
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