The level of anxiety and its relationship with metacognitive beliefs in asthma patients during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Asthma is a disease characterized by the narrowing of the airways and resulting shortness of breath. Anxiety is a condition that is frequently observed in patients with asthma and causes worsening of symptoms. Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has influenced the mental health of many individuals. ‘The aim of this study is to determine the anxiety levels of asthma patients during the pandemic period and to reveal the contribution of these patients' metacognition to anxiety’. This study was planned retrospectively Twenty-eight asthma patients were evaluated for asthmatic symptoms and anxiety levels. before the COVID-19 pandemic and 28 healthy controls were included. During the COVID-19 pandemic, patients were re-evaluated for asthmatic symptoms and anxiety levels. The Asthma Control Test (ACT), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Metacognition Scale-30 (MCS) were applied to all participants to evaluate levels of asthmatic symptoms, anxiety and metacognitive beliefs. During the pandemic, while patients’ ACT scores increased significantly (p=0.011), the BAI score decreased significantly (p=0.039), compared to the pre-pandemic values. BAI score was negatively correlated with pre- and post-pandemic ACT scores (p=0.029, p=0.006, respectively). During the pandemic, patients' BAI score and "need to control thoughts" subscale score of MCS-30 were found significantly higher than those of controls (p=0.003). Additionally, patients’ anxiety levels during the pandemic were correlated with the metacognitive scale score (p=0.036). Asthma symptoms were observed to remit, and anxiety levels to decrease during the pandemic in asthma patients, compared to the pre-pandemic values. Patients’ anxiety levels during the pandemic were found higher than those of controls. Therefore, we consider that current anxiety is related to metacognitive beliefs, and our study findings are important in terms of understanding anxiety developing in asthma patients during the pandemic and reflecting the findings to psychotherapeutic modalities.