COVID-19 Anxiety Research Articles

Anxiety and Fear Caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic During the Intervention of Emergency Surgical Cases in Surgical Physicians in Türkiye

Aim: We aimed to determine the anxiety and fear of surgical physicians regarding COVID-19, their fears in emergency surgical cases and their views on the precautions taken.Material and Methods: Anxiety and fear scales adapted to Turkish and a questionnaire with 20 questions prepared by ourselves were used. Online questionnaires were applied to 275 physicians using the Google forms application. Mann-Whitney U, Chi-square, Kruskal Wallis, linear and binary logistic regression tests were applied.Results: A significant difference was found in total anxiety and fear score between gender, additional personal protective equipment (PPE) use or not, COVID-19 effect in medical decisions or not and having total anxiety and total fear or not. Surgeons who thought they were infected with COVID-19 infection from the hospital had higher fear score means than those who did not. Surgeons with two children had higher anxiety scores In binary logistic regression, having female gender increased fear of COVID-19, using additional PPE increased COVID-19 anxiety and fear of COVID-19, having COVID-19 fear-anxiety increased fear of COVID-19. İn lineer regression the fear of COVID-19 explained the level of COVID-19 anxiety as much as 39% of the variance.Conclusion: Anxiety and fears may be more common in surgical branches. While hospitals are performing their duties, physicians and healthcare professionals should absolutely obey the rules and not show the slightest negligence.

Who Believes in Fake News: A Study on the Relationship between Affective Temperament, Cyberchondria and Problematic Use of the Internet during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 outbreak has been associated with various psychological problems, such as Cyberchondria, constant research for information online, to obtain health-related information. This was associated with problematic social media use and various psychological problems. This study aimed to measure the characteristics of fear and anxiety of COVID-19, the generalized approach to online searching and the use of the Internet about the perception of health, during a pandemic. The online survey was disseminated from April to June 2021 on available social media channels. We found that the pandemic was associated with depression, anxiety, cyberchondria, and cognitive preoccupation. We reported an increase in cyberchondria, depression, stress, low mood, and anxiety during the Covid outbreak. The Internet plays a vital role in everyday life in this period, because it has become a popular source of accessing health-related information.

Factors Associated with Changes in E-Cigarette Use and Tobacco Smoking by Adolescents and Young People in Nigeria during the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study aimed to assess the proportion of adolescents and young people (AYP) in Nigeria who changed their frequency of e-cigarette use and tobacco smoking during the COVID-19 pandemic; and factors associated with the increase, decrease or no change in e-cigarette use and tobacco smoking (including night smoking). This study was a cross-sectional study of AYP recruited from all geopolitical zones in the country. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine if respondents’ health HIV and COVID-19 status and anxiety levels were associated with changes in e-cigarette use and tobacco smoking frequency. There were 568 (59.5%) e-cigarette users, of which 188 (33.1%) increased and 70 (12.3%) decreased e-cigarette use and 389 (68.5%) increased night e-cigarette use. There were 787 (82.4%) current tobacco smokers, of which 305 (38.8%) increased and 102 (13.0%) decreased tobacco smoking and 534 (67.9%) increased night tobacco smoking. Having a medical condition was associated with lower odds of increased e-cigarette use (AOR:0.649; p = 0.031). High anxiety (AOR:0.437; p = 0.027) and having a medical condition (AOR:0.554; p = 0.044) were associated with lower odds of decreased e-cigarette use. Having COVID-19 symptoms (AOR:2.108; p < 0.001) and moderate anxiety (AOR:2.138; p = 0.006) were associated with higher odds of increased night e-cigarette use. We found complex relationships between having a medical condition, experiencing anxiety, changes in tobacco smoking and e-cigarette use among AYP in Nigeria during the COVID-19 pandemic that need to be studied further.

Death Anxiety and COVID-19 Anxiety. The Mediating Role of Religious Relational Identification and the Impact of Emotional Regulation Strategies.

Management theory of terror (TMT) explains the way disease and death anxiety (DA) are managed through religion during crisis (i.e., COVID-19 pandemic). 344 women students completed self-reported questionnaires regarding death and COVID-19 anxiety, religious relational identification, and emotional regulation. Results show positive relation between religious relational identification and death anxiety, and COVID-19 anxiety. The interaction between death anxiety and emotional regulation shows that both cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression are dysfunctional for COVID-19 anxiety. A moderated mediation effect is significant, showing that COVID-19 anxiety is not decreasing due to usual and natural ways of coping (i.e., religious relational identification and cognitive reappraisal).

Disappointment with and Uncertainty about God Predict Heightened COVID-19 Anxiety among Persian Muslims

Religiosity is often associated with positive mental health outcomes. Religiosity may also mitigate COVID-19 concerns. In a sample of 553 Persian-speaking Muslims, we investigated the extent to which specific beliefs about God (Allah) were associated with four negative mental health outcomes: depression, anxiety, stress, and COVID-19 anxiety. Consistent with the results of English-speaking samples, we found that religiosity, belief in God’s benevolence, psychological closeness to God, and positive attitudes toward God were negatively correlated with depression, stress, and anxiety yet uncorrelated with COVID-19 anxiety. Belief in God’s authoritarian attributes was positively correlated with depression, stress, and anxiety yet, again, uncorrelated with COVID-19 anxiety. In contrast, uncertainty about God’s attributes and negative attitudes toward God were positive predictors of COVID-19 anxiety, even after controlling for general religiosity, depression, stress, anxiety, and sex. We conclude that, whereas religiosity and belief in God had very little influence, uncertainty about and disappointment with God were likely associated with greater anxiety about COVID-19.

Generalized anxiety disorder in Berlin school children after the third COVID-19 wave in Germany: a cohort study between June and September 2021

BackgroundDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, children and adolescents worldwide have disproportionally been affected in their psychological health and wellbeing. We conducted a cohort study among German school children, aiming at assessing levels of general anxiety disorder (GAD) and identifying associated factors in the second pandemic year.MethodsA cohort of 660 students from 24 Berlin schools was recruited to fill in questionnaires including the GAD-7 tool on anxiety symptoms at three time points between June and September 2021. To adjust for non-random attrition, we applied inverse probability weighting. We describe reported GAD levels stratified by time point, sex, and school type and report odds ratios from univariate logistic regression.ResultsIn total, 551 participants (83%) filled in at least one questionnaire at any time point. At the first time point in June 2021, 25% of the children and adolescents reported anxiety symptoms with a GAD-7 score ≥ 5, decreasing to 16% in August 2021 directly after the summer holidays and rising again to 26% in September 2021. The majority of reported anxiety levels belonged to the least severe category. Being female, attending secondary school, coming from a household with lower education or with lower income level, and being vaccinated against COVID-19 were significantly linked with reporting anxiety symptoms. Preceding COVID-19 infection and anxiety were negatively associated.ConclusionOverall, anxiety in school children was lower in mid-2021 than in the first pandemic year, but still double compared to pre-pandemic data. Reporting of anxiety symptoms during the second pandemic year was especially high in females and in secondary school students. Policy makers should pay additional attention to the mental health status of school children, even as the pandemic situation might stabilize.

Use of substances to cope during the COVID-19 pandemic among transgender and gender diverse adults

ABSTRACT Background: Studies have found changes in substance use during the COVID-19 pandemic in specific populations. Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) individuals have experienced greater distress compared to cisgender individuals during the pandemic; however, there is little research on substance use among TGD individuals during this sensitive time period. Objectives: The objective of this study is to examine distress from COVID-19 and coping via substance use including alcohol, cannabis, tobacco, and non-medical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD) among TGD adults. Method: An online survey assessing substance use, general psychiatric symptoms, and COVID-19 anxiety was completed by 342 TGD individuals (16.4% transfeminine, 19.6% transmasculine, 64.0% Gender Diverse) in June/July 2020. Chi-square and structural equation modeling (SEM) analyses examined the connections between distress, coping, and substance use. Results: Seventy-one percent of participants reported no changes in substance use since the start of the pandemic and 22% reported an increase in substance use. Increased substance use was associated with alcohol (p < .001), cannabis (p < .001), and combustible tobacco (p < .001) use in the prior three months. SEM showed significant direct effects between distress and substance use coping, substance use coping and recent drug use, and an indirect effect of distress on recent drug use through substance use coping (β = .31, p = .001). Conclusion: Results highlight the risk of substance use to cope with COVID-19-related stress in a large sample of a minoritized population with mental health disparities. Transmasculine and gender diverse participants were especially likely to report using substances to cope.

Emotional factors relating to weight gain during the COVID-19 pandemic at post-bariatric women from São Paulo: a cross-sectional study

Objective: Evaluate the impact of the covid-19 pandemic on weight regain in post bariatric women and correlate it with symptoms of anxiety, depression, binge eating and fear of covid-19. Methods: It was collected anthropometric and mental health information with application of psychometric scales at the patients mentioned above, between May/2021 and January/2022. Frequencies (descriptive statistics), test t for independent samples and Spearman were used to obtain correlation between weight gain and the psychometric scales. Results: The sample comprised 25 women. The average age was 53.0 years and average body mass index was 35.2kg/m2 before the pandemic. We observed an average increase at the body mass index of 1.4 points during the pandemic. However, 40% maintained or lost weight during the same period. The weight gain group had higher scores for depression, anxiety and binge eating symptoms. Fear of covid-19 scores did not differ between the groups. Conclusion: Anxiety, depression and binge eating symptoms have influenced weight regain in a small sample of post-bariatric women during the covid-19 pandemic.

Structural model of anxiety disorders based on corona anxiety, mental health and the level of health concern with the mediating role of coping strategies in pregnant women

Aim: The current research aims to present a structural model of anxiety disorders based on COVID-19 anxiety with the mediating role of coping strategies in pregnant women. Methods: This study is applied in terms of its objective, and descriptive-correlational and structural equation modeling in terms of its implementation. Data collection methods included both library and field research. In the field research, questionnaires were used to collect necessary data, including the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-13) questionnaire by Spitzer et al. (2006), the COVID-19 Anxiety questionnaire by Alipour et al. (2019), and Lazarus and Folkman’s (1988) coping strategies. SPSS22 and AMOS software were utilized for data analysis. Results: The results indicated that anxiety disorders can be predicted based on COVID-19 anxiety (p&lt;0.01). Additionally, coping strategies were found to play a mediating role in the relationship between anxiety disorders and COVID-19 anxiety (p&lt;0.01). The study also revealed a significant association between anxiety disorders or COVID-19 anxiety and the mediating role of coping strategies in pregnant women (p&lt;0.01). Conclusion: Therefore, it can be concluded that anxiety disorders in pregnant women can be predicted by COVID-19 anxiety with the mediation of coping strategies.

Comparing the effectiveness of treatment based on acceptance and commitment with and without self-compassion, conscious attention to the spiritual reactions of women with corona anxiety and insecure attachment to their spouses

Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) with and without self-compassion mindfulness on the spiritual reactions of women with COVID-19 anxiety who have insecure attachment to their husbands, with a two-month follow-up period. Method: This clinical trial was conducted in 2021 on 48 female teachers in Zahedan. Women with COVID-19 anxiety and insecure attachment to their husbands were selected through purposive sampling and randomly divided into three groups: Intervention 1 (16 participants receiving ACT), Intervention 2 (16 participants receiving ACT with self-compassion mindfulness), and a control group (16 participants). The Coronavirus Anxiety Scale, Relationship Scales Questionnaire, Patience Scale, and the Spiritual Control Language Questionnaire were used, and data were analyzed using SPSS software version 26. Results: Results showed that ACT with and without self-compassion mindfulness, compared to the control group, significantly increased cognitive control of language and patience (P &lt; 0.05). ACT combined with self-compassion mindfulness was more effective in improving cognitive control of language and patience than ACT alone, and this effect was maintained at follow-up. Conclusion: ACT combined with self-compassion mindfulness, as a sustainable intervention, can be used in health and treatment centers for women with COVID-19 anxiety who have insecure attachment to their husbands, to enhance cognitive control of language and patience.

Determining the COVID-19 Knowledge, Awareness and Anxiety Levels of Intern Dentists

Introduction: COVID-19 is a contagious disease caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The nature of dentistry leads to close contact with patients and exposure to saliva, blood, and other bodily fluids during treatment processes and it is a field where high-frequency devices that can make it easier for virus contamination are used. This study aims to determine the knowledge and approaches of COVID-19 infection control of intern dentists who have begun face-to-face education and their COVID-19-related fear and anxiety levels. Methods: The study comprised 4th and 5th-year students who began face-to-face education at the Ankara University Faculty of Dentistry 2020/2021 spring semester. A questionnaire was used as the data collection tool for this study. The data were collected using a knowledge questionnaire and a COVID-19 fear and anxiety scale. Results: The average COVID-19 knowledge score of the students was 63.65±9.64, their coronavirus fear average score was 17.63±5.57, and their anxiety average score was found to be 2.37±3.32. A positive relationship was found between the anxiety scores and the COVID-19 fear scores. The results of this study show that the COVID-19 knowledge level and fear of dentistry students are moderate and that their COVID-19 anxiety level is low. Conclusion: It was found that the knowledge and fear of coronavirus levels of intern dentistry students were moderate and that their coronavirus anxiety level was low.

Relationships between History of COVID-19 Disease, Anxiety, and Symptoms of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) in Adolescents Age 20-24 Years

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic triggers anxiety and worry in society. Active cases have continued to grow since the government announced the first patient of COVID-19 in Indonesia. In the midst of the pandemic, adolescent is a dominant groups in society infected with COVID-19. This situation can affect the psychological condition of adolescents. This study aims to analyze the relationship between the history of COVID-19 and anxiety and symptoms of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) in adolescents aged 20-24 years in Surabaya. Subjects and Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Surabaya City from October to November 2022. As many as 100 youth aged 20-24 years in Surabaya were the subjects of this study. The dependent variable is anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms. The independent variable is adolescents aged 20-24 years with a history of COVID-19. The instruments used were questionnaires and PCR swab evidence collection. Research data were analyzed using Pearson's correlation. Results: The results showed that 74 subjects (74%) had mild anxiety. Meanwhile, there were 16 subjects (16%) who had symptoms of OCD. Analysis of the chi-square correlation test between history of COVID-19 disease and anxiety showed that there was no relationship between the two variables with a p value = 0.704. Analysis of the chi-square correlation test between history of COVID-19 disease and OCD symptoms showed that there was no relationship between the two variables with a p value = 0.086. Conclusion: There is no relationship between history of COVID-19 disease and anxiety in adolescents aged 20-24 years in Surabaya and there is no relationship between history of COVID19 disease and symptoms of OCD in adolescents aged 20-24 years in Surabaya. Keywords: COVID-19, anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) symptoms. Correspondence: Ayu Novia Christanti. Study Program of Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, Indonesia. Jl. Mayjen Prof. Dr. Moestopo 47, Pacar Kembang, Tambaksari, Surabaya, East Java 60132. Email: ayu.novia.christanti-2019@fk.unair.ac.id. Mobile: +6283849353637.

Nursing Student and Faculty Narratives During COVID-19 Pandemic: Challenges and Recommendations From a Canadian Perspective.

Worldwide, COVID-19 affected nursing students' and faculty's mental and physical health. The final clinical placement for fourth-year nursing students during the third wave of COVID-19 in Toronto, Canada, included direct patient care without vaccination eligibility. Students' experiences during the pandemic and faculty exposure to teaching and supporting them provide unique reflective opportunities. To examine the lived experiences of nursing students and faculty during the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study used a qualitative phenomenological design with thematic analysis. A voluntary response sample of 80 participants shared their narratives of working and teaching during January to May 2021. An optional interview guide offered open-ended questions requiring reflection. The study was conducted in a nursing school in Toronto, Canada during fourth-year baccalaureate students final clinical placement settings. A total of 77 fourth-year baccalaureate nursing students and three faculty members participated. Thematic analysis of nursing student narratives identified four main themes: (i) fear and anxiety of COVID-19 during clinical practice; (ii) impact on students' learning environments; (iii) intrinsic and extrinsic factors that enabled students to persevere; and (iv) how to deal with future pandemics. Thematic analysis of faculty narratives identified three main themes: (i) the importance of preparatory work; (ii) psychological and physical manifestations of supporting students; and (iii) the resilience of students and faculty. Future disease outbreaks and other large-scale health events will require nurse educators to understand and plan strategies for both themselves and students practicing in high-risk clinical settings. Nursing schools should rethink all fourth-year students' experiences, perceptions, and feelings to minimize their susceptibility to physical and psychological distress.

The Relationship between Perceived Infectability and Psychological Well-being: The Mediating Role of Covid-19 Anxiety.

COVID-19 has adversely affected economies and individuals globally. To this day, countries are facing the economic effects of the pandemic directly, and individuals' mental health is in danger as they are still indirectly dealing with the pandemic. It is imperative to understand how pandemic-related anxiety affected individuals' mental health so that all stakeholders can take essential remedial steps. The current research aimed to investigate the relationship between Perceived Infectability, Coronavirus Anxiety, and Psychological Well-being. It also sought to explore the role of coronavirus anxiety in mediating between perceived infectability and psychological well-being. A cross-sectional correlational study design and non-probability convenience sampling technique were used to collect the data. The data were collected from 321 Pakistani adults, who filled out Google forms on the Perceived Infectability subscale of the Perceived Vulnerability to Disease Scale; the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale; and the Psychological Well-being Scale. Correlation analysis indicated that both perceived infectability and coronavirus anxiety were negatively related to psychological well-being. However, a significant positive relationship was observed between perceived infectability and coronavirus anxiety. Our findings further proved the mediating role of coronavirus anxiety between perceived infectability and the psychological well-being of adults. Understanding perceived infectability and its association with COVID-19 anxiety and psychological well-being is pertinent in this post-pandemic period in both developing and developed nations. The post-pandemic world is still being jolted with the aftereffects of the pandemic. An in-depth understanding of how individuals Coped with the pandemic, might help in designing better intervention and community health programs after the pandemic, and it could also help in preparing for the crises attending future pandemics (if any).

The effect of risk perception and COVID-19 anxiety in pregnancy on decision-making via the Internet and prenatal care quality: A cross-sectional multivariate analysis

The effect of risk perception and COVID-19 anxiety in pregnancy on decision-making via the Internet and prenatal care quality: A cross-sectional multivariate analysis

Did covid-19 anxiety cause a delay in the patients’ decision to be operated on for lung malignancy?

Did covid-19 anxiety cause a delay in the patients’ decision to be operated on for lung malignancy?

Mixed Method Approach Towards the Life of University Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted the higher education system. This mixed-methods study aimed to assess COVID-19 fear, anxiety, and stress among Shenandoah Valley college students. Methods An online survey was fielded and completed by n=680 students. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 students. Results The mean participant age was 22.14±5.48 years, and primarily White (81.9%), women (80.4%), and undergraduate (78.0%) students. Approximately 41% were enrolled in health-related majors (41.4%). Women students had significantly higher anxiety, depression, and fear of contracting COVID-19 than men. Undergraduate students had significantly higher depression than graduate students. Qualitative analysis revealed several major themes: psychological stress during the pandemic, disruption in academic life, family support, support from the university, and recommendations for the university. Discussion Students’ perceptions of university support were related to anxiety, depression, and fear of COVID-19. Students reported a lot of stress in their lives, mitigated by support from their families. Although the university attempted to provide support, students noted that the efforts were inadequate. Conclusion While the acute impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has receded, higher education system leaders and policymakers should work together to identify areas to improve student support and develop better communication strategies. These efforts will help manage future disasters.

Design and evaluation of a mobile-based intervention for Maya adults during the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a direct impact on mental health. International organisations have emphasised the vulnerability of indigenous people. Digital Mental Health approaches deliver online therapy as an evidence-based, effective, and accessible treatment option for common mental health problems. However, the evidence regarding these approaches is limited in indigenous populations. The objective of this study is to describe the design, development, and evaluation of the efficacy of a self-applied online intervention regarding the psychological symptoms of depression, anxiety, and fear of COVID-19 in a sample of the Maya population. Method: A prospective longitudinal quantitative study was designed, where a single group was measured before and after receiving the online intervention. This study took place from April to September 2021 and consisted of six sessions delivered via WhatsApp in Spanish and Mayan. Results: The initial assessment was implemented with 82 participants who were evaluated using the Patient Health Questionnaire, Scale for Generalised Anxiety Disorder and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale; 18 participants remained in the intervention for the post-assessment. Statistical differences were observed in PRE and POST measures of depression and anxiety, but not in fear of COVID-19. Conclusions: This study produced positive results for the first online mental health intervention implemented in the Latin American indigenous population. Future studies might consider developing similar interventions for other indigenous communities in Latin America.

Psychological response of pregnant women during COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.

In this study we explore anxiety and fear of COVID-19 in women in the process of pregnancy during lockdown due to the SARS CoV-2 pandemic and their relationship with sociodemographic and clinical factors in a tertiary referral level hospital. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in pregnant women at the Lozano Blesa University Clinical Hospital in Zaragoza (Spain), from April 15, 2020 to May 15, 2020. A total of 168 women was recruited when they went to the hospital for a routine blood test for pregnancy. They answered a sociodemographic and clinical data questionnaire, the Spielberg state-trait anxiety questionnaire for anxiety, and a visual analog scale for fear of COVID. Frequency of Trait anxiety was 50.7% (95% CI: 42.7-58.7) and 52.7% (95% CI: 44.7-60.7) for State anxiety. The mean visual analog scale for fear of COVID-19 in relation to pregnancy was 57.2 (95% CI: 52.4-61.8). A positive correlation was found between the scales. Statistically significant differences were found between rural and urban areas. The emotional impact of the COVID-19 is high among pregnant women and the levels of anxiety are higher than usual in these groups of women during the pandemic lockdown.

Psychological Impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic

Thousands of millions of people faced devastating impacts around the world during COVID-19 pandemic. Not only anxiety or fear of COVID-19 dominated the negative psychological impacts, mental disorders such as depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and sleep disturbance increasingly appeared during or after the pandemic. Apart from the confirmed patients, survivors of the viral infection, close family members, elders, children and adolescents, people quarantined, people with preexisting psychiatric conditions, frontline police, emergency medical services, and health-care workers, mental distress specific to the vulnerable groups should be recognized. Preventive strategies including self-regulations, leadership, and teamwork were highlighted. Specific evaluations for at-risk population and efficacious treatment such as cognitive behavioral treatment could be considered. This article delineated directions for mental health workers during pandemic.