Fear Of COVID-19 Scale Scores Research Articles

May changes in nutritional habits be an indicator of fear during the COVID-19 pandemic period?

Purpose The aim of this study was to determine the effect of anxiety levels of adults on their nutritional status during the COVID-19 pandemic in Kayseri province, Turkey. Design/methodology/approach A total of 898 adults consisting of 479 individuals with and 419 individuals without a positive diagnosis of COVID-19 were included in the study. The individuals’ socio-demographic characteristics, health status, nutritional habits, anthropometric measurement and Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) information were obtained online. Findings The mean FCV-19S score of the participants was 17.49 ± 6.02. FCV-19S score was higher in those who reduced their consumption of protein sources compared to those who did not change and those who increased (p < 0.001). It was determined that FCV-19S scores of participants who increased their consumption of fruit/vegetables, sweets and sugar were higher than those who did not change their consumption of such items (p = 0.007). The FCV-19S scores of individuals who did not change their onion/garlic and snack consumption were lower than those who decreased or increased the consumption of these nutrients (p = 0.001, p = 0.002). Practical implications Education programs can be organized especially targeting vulnerable populations, such as women, individuals with chronic diseases and those experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. These programs can be conducted by dietitians and psychologists in collaboration, focusing on promoting healthy eating habits and coping strategies during stressful times. Originality/value It was determined that those who changed their nutrition habits during the COVID-19 pandemic had higher fear levels than those who did not. Individuals with high fear paid more attention to healthy nutrition than individuals without fear.

Analysis of the relationship between fear of coronavirus and hand hygiene beliefs and practices of surgical nurses: A descriptive and cross-sectional study.

This study aimed to analyse the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and hand hygiene beliefs and practices of surgical nurses. This article is a descriptive correlational study. It was conducted between February and May 2021 with 306 surgical nurses working at public and private hospitals in Northern Cyprus. A personal information form, Fear of COVID-19 Scale, Hand Hygiene Belief Scale and Hand Hygiene Practices Inventory were used for data collection. Of the participants in the study, 25.41% were 29 years old or younger and 85.15% were female. The mean scores obtained from the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, Hand Hygiene Belief Scale and the Hand Hygiene Practices Inventory were 23.12 ± 8.03, 81.33 ± 7.67 and 69.15 ± 1.94, respectively. The Fear of COVID-19 Scale scores were negatively correlated with the Hand Hygiene Belief Scale scores and positively correlated with the Hand Hygiene Practices Inventory scores. Hand hygiene practices were better for nurses with higher level of COVID-19 fear. Therefore, a high level of seriousness and awareness of nurses about hand hygiene, which was achieved during the COVID-19 pandemic, should be sustained to maintain proper hand hygiene practices.

The Fear of Covid-19 and Professional Commitment in Nursing Students Switching from Online Education to Face-to-face Education: A Cross-sectional Study

Background/Purpose: During the coronavirus pandemic, courses were offered online in departments of nursing, and hence, clinical practices were interrupted. Along with the fall in coronavirus cases, the decision to switch from online education to face-to-face education was taken. This research was carried out to determine the fear of coronavirus and professional commitment levels of nursing students who switched from online education to face-to-face education.
 Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional research was performed with 340 nursing students. The research data were gathered online with the Personal Data Form, the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), and the Nursing Professional Commitment Scale (NPCS).
 Results: The mean of nursing students’ FCV-19S scores was found as 16.44±6.03 whilst the mean of their NPCS scores was identified as 79.67±10.53. It was identified that there was no statistically significant relationship between nursing students’ FCV-19S and NPCS scores (p>0.05).
 Conclusion: It was discerned that nursing students had a fear of coronavirus below the average while they exhibited moderate professional commitment, and there was no statistically significant relationship between the fear of coronavirus and professional commitment.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the attitude towards childbearing of married aged 20–30 Turkish women who are not yet mothers: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has not only changed physical health and the economy, but also changed plans for the future with its impact on social status and mental health. Changes in fertility preferences in many countries are also part of this influence. We aimed to evaluate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on attitude toward the childbearing in women.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted on married aged 20–30 Turkish women who are not yet mothers, between January and June 2022, using Google forms. The questionnaire consisted of the sociodemographic data form, The Attitude towards Fertility and Childbearing Scale, and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale. In addition, women were asked about their exposure to COVID-19 and the severity of their illness.ResultsOnly one-third of participants said they would like to have children in the next year; 61.2% would consider them later, while 4.5% did not. Common reasons for not intending to have children were “it is early to become a mother (34%)”, “economic difficulties (25.3%)”, and “career plans (16%)”. The fear of COVID-19 scale score, with an arithmetic mean of 16.8 ± 5.5, was found to be significantly lower in women who did not want to have children in the next year than in women who wanted to have children (p = 0.042). Except for the profession, there was no significant difference between the COVID-19 fear scores by the participants’ sociodemographic characteristics.ConclusionsAmong the married aged 20–30 Turkish women who are not yet mothers, the rate of those who intend to childbearing was found still low. The main reason for women who did not want to have children in the next year was that they thought it was too early to have a child. Besides low fear of COVID-19 scale scores; economic concerns and career plans, which came in second and third place in the reason list, showed that the fear of infected with SARS-CoV-2 during the pandemic did not affect the women’s attitudes toward fertility.

Evaluation of the association between fear of COVID-19 and pregnancy distress.

Mental health problems experienced during pregnancy negatively affect both maternal and fetal wellbeing. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and pregnancy distress in healthy pregnant women living in Turkey. A descriptive, relational/cross-sectional study was conducted by interviewing 363 pregnant women in person. Data were collected using a personal information form, the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), and the Tilburg Pregnancy Distress Scale (TPDS). The mean FCV-19S score was 19.03±5.65 and the mean TPDS score was 19.97±7.97. According to the TPDS cut-off score, 19.0% of the participants were at risk of pregnancy distress. There was a significant positive correlation between FCV-19S and TPDS scores (r = 0.263, p<0.05). According to the regression analysis, age (β= -0.217), years of education (β= -0.272), and number of births (β= 0.502) were associated with fear of COVID-19, and fear of COVID-19 was associated with TPDS scores (β= 0.369) (p<0.05). The pregnant women in this study had moderate fear of COVID-19. Compared to the literature data, the prevalence of pregnancy distress was slightly higher than pre-COVID-19 reports but quite low compared to other studies conducted during the pandemic.

The relationship between nurses fear of COVID-19, professional commitment and tendencies to medical errors.

This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between nurses' fear of COVID-19, professional commitment and medical error tendency. This study was use correlational research design with 312 nurses in January-April 2021. Data were collected online using a demographic characteristics questionnaire, the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), the Professional Commitment Scale (PCS), and the Scale of Tendency to Medical Errors (STME). The study was approved by ethics committee. Number, mean, and standard deviation were used for sociodemographic variables. Participants' FCV-19S, PCS, and STME scores were calculated. The correlations between scale scores were determined using Pearson's correlation coefficient and Spearman correlation analysis. Participants had a mean FCV-19S, PCS, and STME score of 19±8.17, 72.21±13.58, and 4.58±0.51, respectively. FCV-19S scores were weakly and positively correlated with PCS overall score (r=0.200, p<0.001), "willingness to make an effort (r=0.273, p<0.001)" and "belief in goals and values (r=0.115, p=0.043)" subscale scores. FCV-19S scores were weakly and positively correlated with STME "communication (r=0.119, p=0.036)" subscale score. Nurses who feared more about COVID-19 were found to have higher professional commitment, greater willingness to make an effort, and stronger belief in goals and values. Nurses who feared more COVID-19 were less likely to make communication-related medical errors.

The Effect of Personality Traits of Surgical Nurses on COVID-19 Fear, Work Stress, and Psychological Resilience in the Pandemic

PurposeThis research was carried out to determine the effects of the personality traits of surgical nurses on COVID-19 fear, work stress, and psychological resilience in the pandemic. DesignThe research was descriptive and cross-sectional types. MethodsThe study was conducted between February 2021 and May 2021 at a State University Research Hospital. The research aimed to reach all surgery nurses (357) working in surgical units without selecting a sample. The sample included 325 participants. At the end of the study, the participation rate was 91.03%. Study reporting adheres to STROBE checklist. FindingsIt was determined that 43.4% of the nurses participating in the study were in the age range of 26-30, 64.9% were women. The correlation values between the COVID-19 Fear Scale and the Nurse Stress Scale scores were found to be significant in the positive direction. The correlation values between the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire neuroticism subdimension and the Nurse Stress Scale, and Fear of COVID-19 Scale scores were found to be positive. ConclusionsDuring the pandemic, it is suggested that nurses' work stress and psychological resilience levels should be evaluated at regular intervals and that in-service trainings on coping with stress and stress management should be organized. Taking the necessary precautions and improving working conditions will have positive effects on both the health of nurses and patient care.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children with disabilities and their parents or caregivers.

The study aimed to determine the impact of the pandemic on parents/caregivers and children with neurologic disabilities. This multi-center cross-sectional study was conducted with 309 parents/caregivers (57 males, 252 females) and their 309 children (198 males, 111 females) with disabilities between July 5, 2020, and August 30, 2020. The parents/caregivers were able to answer the questions and had internet access. The survey included questions on the utilization of educational and health care services (whether they could obtain medicine, orthosis, botulinum toxin injection, or rehabilitation) during the pandemic. A Likert scale was used to evaluate the effect of the specific health domains, including mobility, spasticity, contractures, speech, communication, eating, academic, and emotional status. The Fear of COVID-19 Scale was used to assess fear of COVID-19. Among the children, 247 needed to visit their physician during the pandemic; however, 94% (n=233) of them could not attend their physician appointment or therapy sessions. The restricted life during the first wave of the pandemic in Türkiye had negatively affected 75% of the children with disabilities and 62% of their parents. From the perspective of the parents/caregivers, mobility, spasticity, and joint range of motion of the children were affected. Forty-four children required repeated injections of botulinum toxin; however, 91% could not be administered. The Fear of COVID-19 Scale scores were significantly higher in the parents who could not bring their children to the routine physician visit (p=0.041). During the pandemic, access to physical therapy sessions was disrupted in children with neurological disabilities, and this may have harmful consequences on the functional status of children.

Gender Difference in Fear and Anxiety about and Perceived Susceptibility to COVID-19 in the Third Wave of Pandemic among the Japanese General Population: A Nationwide Web-Based Cross-Sectional Survey

Existing research suggested gender differences in fear and anxiety about and perceived susceptibility to COVID-19 and previous infectious disease pandemics. We analyzed whether women felt fear and anxiety about and perceived susceptibility to COVID-19 more frequently than men in Japan. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using internet survey data collected during the third wave of the pandemic in Japan. The subjects were enrolled from the Japanese general population: 11,957 men and 11,559 women. Fear and anxiety specifically related to COVID-19 were evaluated with the Japanese version of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FoCS). The question "How likely do you think you will be infected with COVID-19?" was used to assess the perceived susceptibility to COVID-19. Women had higher mean (standard deviation) FoCS scores [18.6 (5.6) vs. 17.5 (5.9), d = 0.190] and reported the median or higher FoCS score (57.4% vs. 51.4%, φ = 0.060) and perceived susceptibility (13.6% vs. 11.5%, φ = 0.032) more frequently than men. The odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) adjusted for age, having a spouse, comorbidities, watching commercial TV stations' news programs, employment status, and household income were 1.24 (1.17-1.32) and 1.27 (1.16-1.38), respectively. We observed that women were more anxious and fearful about and perceived the susceptibility to infectious diseases more frequently than men even one year after the pandemic occurred in Japan, although the effect size was small.

The relationship between chronotype, night eating behavior and fear of COVID-19 in academics

ABSTRACT Academics are an occupational group that works at an intense pace. The number of studies on chronotype and night eating behavior in academics is limited, and there is insufficient data on whether fear of COVID-19 is also a risk for developing eating disorders. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between chronotype and night eating syndrome (NES) and examine the influence of fear of COVID-19 on night eating behavior in academics. The study data were collected using the personal information form, “Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire, The Night Eating Questionnaire (NEQ), and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale.” According to the chronotypes of the academicians, it was determined that the score compatible with NES and the scores of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale differed statistically significantly, and the score compatible with NES and Fear of COVID-19 Scale scores were also higher in the evening type at a rate of 29.2% compared to other chronotypes (p < .05). The Fear of COVID-19 scale and Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire scores were significantly correlated with the Night Eating Questionnaire (R = .391 R2 = .153 p < .05). The variables of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale and the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire explained 15% of the total variance of the Night Eating Questionnaire scores. Considering that academics are a group that works without the concept of overtime and whose work intensity is high, it is clear that studies should be conducted to raise awareness to protect the physical health of academics and prevent the development of eating disorders. There is a need for studies that question the relationship between chronotype, diet, and health.

Probable Bruxism and Psychological Issues among Dental Students in Serbia during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed the routine way of life, having consequences in many segments of life, including dental practice and education. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of probable bruxism in a sample of dental students in Serbia and to estimate the potential association between psychological factors related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the presence of bruxism. A cross-sectional study included 178 dental students in Serbia, who were interviewed using a specially-designed self-administered online questionnaire, which consisted of three sections, and after that, a clinical examination for the presence of bruxism symptoms in the oral cavity. Psychological status was evaluated using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S). Saliva samples were taken to analyze salivary cortisol levels. The prevalence of probable bruxism was 34.8%. Respondents with probable bruxism had significantly higher DASS-21 and FCV-19S scores and mean values of salivary cortisol compared to non-bruxers. A history of COVID-19 infection, high stress, and fear of COVID-19 scores were associated with the presence of probable bruxism. The findings suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a great psychological impact and impact on the presence and worsening of bruxism symptoms in a sample of dental students in Serbia.

Hemşirelik Son Sınıf Öğrencilerinin Klinik Uygulama Sırasındaki Covid-19 Korkusu ve Etik Duyarlılıklarının İncelenmesi

The aim of this study is to investigate senior nursing students’ ethical sensitivity and fear of Covid-19 during clinical practice. This is a cross-sectional and relational study. The study has been conducted in June 2021 with senior nursing students at a university in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey (n=95). Data have been collected online via Google Forms by using a Nursing Student Characteristics Form, the Fear of Covid-19 Scale (FCV-19S), and the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire (MSQ). The mean FCV-19S total score has been obtained as 17.93 (Sd=5.02) and median MSQ total score has been obtained as 96 (25th–75th percentiles=87–108). Students with previous Covid-19 infection had significantly higher FCV-19S scores (t=3.209, p=0.004). There were no significant differences in MSQ total or subscale scores based on the students’ characteristics (p&amp;gt;0.05). FCV-19S total score was positively correlated with the holistic approach subscale of the MSQ (r=0.298, p=0.003). The results of this study have shown that senior nursing students had moderate levels of ethical sensitivity and Covid-19 fear. Previous Covid-19 infection has been associated with greater fear.

Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Patients with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders

Objective: To evaluate the mental health of patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders with the prolongation of the pandemic. Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted between August-October 2020. Fifty-two patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders who were hospitalized prior to the onset of the pandemic between March 2019-March 2020 at the inpatient clinic were reassessed during the pandemic. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S) Scale, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) and Fear of COVID-19 Scale were used to evaluate psychopathology during the pandemic. The PANSS and the CGI severity scores at discharge from the inpatient clinic for each patient were obtained from the medical records review for comparison along with sociodemographic variables. Results: A total of 34 patients, 33 with schizophrenia (97.1%) and 1 with schizoaffective disorder (2.9%) were included. There was no significant difference between the pre- and during the pandemic assessments in the PANSS total and the CGI severity scores. The PANSS total, the CGI, HAM-D, HAM-A and the Fear of COVID-19 scale scores, medical comorbidity and utilization of psychiatric health care services were significantly higher in patients who reported subjectively increased psychiatric symptoms during the pandemic. There was no significant difference in the change of PANSS total and CGI scores between the two groups. Fear of COVID-19 Scale and HAM-A scores were correlated positively. Conclusion: During pandemic increase in psychiatric symptoms may be related not only to psychosis but also depression, anxiety. According to the results of patients who reported subjectively increased psychiatric symptoms during the pandemic, while the psychotic symptoms did not worsen during the pandemic, patients with higher anxiety or depression scores reported an increase in their symptoms and were more likely to seek help.

The Relationship Between Fear of COVID-19, Quality of Sexual Life, and Sexual Satisfaction of Women in Turkey

Objectives: The study investigated the relationship between fear of COVID-19, quality of sexual life, and sexual satisfaction of women in Turkey. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between November 26, 2020, and January 26, 2021. The sample consisted of 811 women. Data were collected using the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, the Sexual Quality of Life-Female Scale, and the Pre-Pandemic Sexual Satisfaction and During Pandemic Sexual Satisfaction scores. Results: There was a negative correlation between the Fear of COVID-19 Scale and the Sexual Quality of Life-Female Scale and the During Pandemic Sexual Satisfaction scores. The Fear of COVID-19 Scale scores accounted for 86% of the total variance in the Sexual Quality of Life scores and 5% of the total variance in the During Pandemic Sexual Satisfaction Scores. Conclusion: Sexual problems due to the fear of COVID-19 adversely affect women's sexual quality of life. Healthcare professionals should address the fear of COVID-19 and related sexual issues during the pandemic.

The Effect of the Imacoco Care Psychoeducation Website on Improving Psychological Distress Among Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Randomized Controlled Trial.

BackgroundThe prolonged COVID-19 pandemic has affected mental health among workers. Psychoeducational intervention via a website could be effective for primary prevention of mental illness among workers in the current COVID-19 pandemic.ObjectiveThe aim of this randomized controlled trial is to examine the effect of a newly developed online psychoeducational website named Imacoco Care on reducing psychological distress and fear about COVID-19 infection among workers.MethodsParticipants in the study were recruited from registered members of a web survey company in Japan. Participants who fulfilled the eligibility criteria were randomly allocated to the intervention or control group. Participants in the intervention group were invited to access the Imacoco Care program within a month after the baseline survey. The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6) and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) scores were obtained at baseline and at 1- and 3-month follow-ups.ResultsA total of 1200 workers were randomly allocated to the intervention and control groups (n=600 [50%] per group). The Imacoco Care intervention group showed a significant favorable effect on K6 scores (P=.03) with a small effect size (ES; Cohen d=–0.14) and an adverse effect on FCV-19S scores (P=.01) with a small ES (Cohen d=0.16) at 3-month follow-up. In the per protocol analysis (including only participants who had read the Imacoco Care content at least 1 time), the Imacoco Care intervention group also showed a significant favorable effect on reducing K6 scores (P=.03), while an adverse effect on FCV-19S scores was not significant (P=.06) in the intervention group at 3-month follow-up.ConclusionsA web-based psychoeducation approach may be effective for improving psychological distress among workers; however, it may be important not only to distribute information but also to encourage active engagement with the content of the program to prevent adverse effects of psychoeducational intervention.Trial RegistrationUniversity Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN-CTR) UMIN000042556; https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000048548

Evaluation of orthorexia nervosa tendency and fear of COVID-19 in university students receiving health education

Purpose This study aims to evaluate level of fear and the tendency toward orthorexia nervosa (ON) during the COVID-19 pandemic in the university students receiving health education. Design/methodology/approach A total of 765 students, consisting of 626 females (81.8%) and 139 males (18.2%) were included in the study. The demographic characteristics, anthropometric measurements, Eating Attitude Test-26 (EAT-26), Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) and the tendency toward ON were assessed using an online questionnaire. Findings The FCV-19S scores differed according to gender and were higher in the female students (P &lt; 0.001). In students with a high EAT-26 score, the tendency toward ON was higher (P &lt; 0.001). According to estimated regression models, a unit increase of the FCV-19S scores led to a decrease of 0.10 points in the Orthorexia Nervosa Evaluation Scale-11 (ORTO-11) scores. It was determined that students with high FCV-19S scores had a tendency toward ON and increased EAT-26 scores (P &lt; 0.001 and P = 0.004, respectively). There was a weak negative correlation between the FCV-19S score and the ORTO-11 score (P &lt; 0.001) and a weak positive correlation between the FCV-19S score and the EAT-26 score (P = 0.001). Originality In this cross-sectional study, it was determined that the fear of COVID-19 was related to an increase in the tendency toward ON and eating attitude in students receiving health education. Because of the fear and ON tendencies of students due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it would be beneficial to provide education on adequate and balanced nutrition during this period.

Rates and correlates of post-traumatic stress disorder and symptoms during the immediate onset of COVID-19 pandemic in a sample of patients from an outpatient psychiatric clinic in Turkiye.

This study was designed to investigate the traumatic stress levels, participants demonstrating higher than post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) cutoff, thus PTSD possibility, levels, and related factors of patients who felt the need to apply to the outpatient clinic for the 1st time during the first period of the outbreak of the pandemic as a traumatic event, when many psychiatry outpatient clinics were mostly closed to face-to-face admissions. In our research, we targeted three objectives. First, we evaluated PTSD as indicated with measure cutoff points and post-traumatic stress symptom (PTSS) rates among the individuals who were admitted to an outpatient psychiatric clinic for the 1st time, 3 months after the first COVID-19 case was reported in Turkiye. Second, we investigated the relationship between PTSS and PTSD cutoff with anxiety, stress, depression, hopelessness, fear of COVID-19, and disability levels. Third, we aimed to explore the sociodemographic data and risk factors related to PTSD cutoff and PTSS controlling levels of disability, hopelessness, fear of COVID-19, anxiety, depression, and stress. For our study, a total number of 85 cases were recruited. Post-traumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale (PDS), Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21), Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS), and Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCS) were administered to each patient. The rates of possible PTSD and PTSSs were found to be 25.9% and 88.2%. The majority of participants were women (65.9%) who have been presenting complaints with anxiety symptoms (60.1%) and social media users (74.1%). The mean DASS-21 all subscales (anxiety, depression, and stress) (p<0.01), BHS (p<0.01), FCS (p=0.03), and SDS family life/home responsibilities subscale (p<0.01) scores of PTSD cutoff subgroup (n=22) were higher than non-PTSD group (n=63). We observed significant positive correlations between the FCS scores and DASS-21 anxiety subscale (p<0.01), SDS family life/home responsibilities and social life/leisure activities subscales (p<0.05), and PDS symptom severity subscale (p<0.01) scores. These results demonstrate that a COVID-19 pandemic is a traumatic life event that causes high rates of possible PTSD, PTSS, anxiety, depression, hopelessness, and disability and leads to admissions to psychiatric outpatient clinics.

Relationship between Oswestry Disability Index and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale Scores in Postoperative Patients with Lumbar Degenerative Disease

Relationship between Oswestry Disability Index and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale Scores in Postoperative Patients with Lumbar Degenerative Disease

Quality of life and fear of COVID-19 in 2600 baccalaureate nursing students at five universities: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruptions in the implementation of programs across educational institutions. Nursing students, being both young adults and by practical training, part of the health care system, may be particularly vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to explore the associations between self-reported fear of COVID-19, general health, psychological distress and overall quality of life (QoL) in a sample of Norwegian baccalaureate nursing students compared to reference data.MethodsThe survey targeted baccalaureate nursing students from five universities in February 2021. An electronic questionnaire consisted of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), the Hopkins Symptom Checklist 5 (SCL-5), one general health and one overall QoL question. The respondents’ mean scores were compared to reference data. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted, and effect sizes (Cohen’s d) were evaluated.ResultsIn total, 2605 out of 6088 (43%) students responded. Their FCV-19S scores (mean 2.45, CI 2.42, 2.48) were significantly higher than those of the reference population (mean 1.8, P < 0.001). Nursing students scores showed significantly lower general health (mean 3.50 ± 0.93 SD, population mean = 3.57, Cohen’s d = 0.07), higher levels of psychological distress (mean 2.68 ± 1.03 SD, population mean = 2.12, Cohen’s d = 0.55) and lower overall QoL (mean 5.50 ± 2.16 SD, population mean = 8.00, Cohen’s d = 1.16) compared to pre-pandemic reference data. FCV-19S scores were significantly associated with levels of general health (Cohen’s d = 0.26), psychological distress (Cohen’s d = 0.76) and overall QoL (Cohen’s d = 0.18).ConclusionsBaccalaureate nursing students reported worse outcomes during the Covid-19 pandemic on general health, psychological distress and overall QoL compared to the reference population. Level of fear of Covid-19, however, accounted for few of these differences. Other factors related to the pandemic may have reduced nursing students’ overall QoL.

The comparison of fatigue, sleep quality, physical activity, quality of life, and psychological status in multiple sclerosis patients with or without COVID-19

PurposeThe study was purposed to investigate the effect of COVID-19 disease on fatigue, sleep quality, physical activity, quality of life, and psychological status in people with MS. MethodsA total of 104 people with MS, including 46 of them with COVID-19 disease history, were enrolled in the study. All patients were evaluated with the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF), the EuroQoL Instrument (EQ-5D-3L), the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) and the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS). ResultsPeople with MS in the COVID-19 positive group had a significantly lower IPAQ-Total score (p = 0.014). Besides, the FCV-19S scores of COVID-19 positive patients were significantly higher (p = 0.006). EQ-5D-3L Index and EQ-5D-3L VAS scores were higher in the group with COVID-19 (p1 = 0.021, p2 = 0.014, respectively). FCV-19S had a moderate correlation with EDSS (r = -0.362). IPAQ-Total was moderately associated with MS duration, EDSS and FSS (r1 = -0.471, r2 = -0.389, r3 = -0.388, respectively). The EQ-5D-3L Index was moderately correlated with FSS (r1 = -0.404). There was a weakly significant relationship between EQ-5D-3L Index and BMI, MS duration, PSQI and CAS (r1 = -0.471, r2 =-0.389, r3 = -0.388, r4 = -0.326, respectively). On the other hand, EQ-5D-3L was moderately associated with VAS and EDSS and PSQI (r1 = -0.393, r2 = -0.357, respectively). ConclusionCOVID-19 negatively affected the people with MS's physical activity and coronavirus related fear parameters. However, the causality of this influence should be investigated in detail.