Perceived fear of COVID-19 infection according to sex, age and occupational risk using the Brazilian version of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale

Fear of COVID-19 when experiencing pregnancy or childbirth in the pandemic: what are the associated factors?

OBJECTIVE

to identify factors associated with fear of COVID-19 among women who experienced pregnancy or childbirth during the pandemic.

METHODS

a cross-sectional study, nested within a prospective cohort, using an online survey, from August 2021 to February 2022, based on descriptive data analysis.

RESULTS

of the 431 participants, 52.8% were postpartum women and 20.1% were pregnant women. With regard to fear of COVID-19, a mean score of 20.46 was obtained (moderate fear). The highest fear scores were present in women whose newborns were admitted to hospital in neonatal critical units (p=0.032), and the lowest among those covered by supplementary health (insurance) (p=0.016).

CONCLUSION

among pregnant and postpartum women, high fear of COVID-19 translated into the possibility of having newborns admitted to hospital in a critical unit. The importance of supporting actions to support pregnant/postpartum women's mental health in relation to COVID-19 or other threats that may influence the neonatal outcome stands out.

Anxiety and Depression Symptoms During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cluster Analysis of Individuals Living in Portugal

INTRODUCTION

The COVID-19 pandemic is an illustration of how a physical illness can damage people's minds. In this regard, the goal of this study was to see how different sociodemographic and behavioral factors were linked to anxiety and depression symptoms in a group of individuals living in Portugal.

METHODS

Between November 2020 and February 2021, a cross-sectional, snowball online study was conducted. The study's target population was adults over the age of 18, residents of the country. For the statistical analysis, the clustering technique - K-means algorithm was applied. The chi-squared test was used to determine the relationships between clusters and sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics. Statistical analyses were conducted in R language, with a significance level of 0.05. A total of 453 participants were included.

RESULTS

The majority were female (69.8%), under the age of 40 (60.8%), with a higher education degree (75.3%), and not married (54.4%). Furthermore, the majority were from the country's north region (66%). Cluster 1 (n = 194) was characterized by low or nonexistent levels of anxiety and depression symptoms, which means normal; cluster 2 by severe symptoms (n = 82), meaning case; and cluster 3 by mild symptoms (n = 177), which means borderline. Younger participants (p-value 0.024), female (p-value 0.041), with drinking habits (p-value 0.002), food insecurity (p-value < 0.001), food affordability exacerbation (p-value < 0.001), comorbidity (p-value < 0.001), use of anxiolytics (p-value < 0.001), insufficient household income (p-value 0.017) and income change (p-value < 0.001) were significantly associated with the anxiety-depression clusters. From the three clusters, cluster 2 was mainly represented by younger participants, with more persons stating that their household income was insufficient and that their income has changed as a result of COVID-19 and that they had the highest probability of food insecurity.

CONCLUSION

The impacts of a crisis on mental health extend longer than the event itself. We were able to observe that younger women with insufficient household income who suffered a change in income due to COVID-19 and were classified as food insecure presented higher levels of anxiety and depression symptoms. These results highlight the presence of a social gradient where we saw that people who were less advantaged in terms of socioeconomic position presented worse mental health outcomes, stressing, in this sense, the need to bring the best public health responses for these specific groups of the population.

Prevalence of fear of COVID-19, depression, and anxiety among undergraduate students during remote classes

BACKGROUND

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, undergraduate students were exposed to symptoms of psychological suffering during remote classes. Therefore, it is important to investigate the factors that may be generated and be related to such outcomes.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association between fear of COVID-19, depression, anxiety, and related factors in undergraduate students during remote classes.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included 218 undergraduate students (60.6% women and 39.4% men). Students answered a self-administered online questionnaire designed to gather personal information, pandemic exposure, physical activity level, fear of COVID-19 using the 'Fear of COVID-19 Scale', symptoms of depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and anxiety using General Anxiety Disorder-7.

RESULTS

Undergraduate students had a high prevalence of depression and anxiety (83.0% and 76.1%, respectively) but a low prevalence of fear of COVID-19 (28.9%) during remote classes. Multivariate analysis revealed that women who reported health status as neither good nor bad and who had lost a family member from COVID-19 had the highest levels of fear. For depression and anxiety, the main related factors found were female gender, bad health status, insufficiently active, and complete adherence to the restriction measures.

CONCLUSION

These findings may be used to develop actions to manage symptoms of anxiety and depression among students, with interventions through physical activity programmes to improve mental health.

Health and well-being of the Portuguese citizens: impacts of the COVID-19

BACKGROUND

COVID-19 pandemic placed unprecedented pressure on societies and healthcare systems around the world. Over the last years, measures imposed in almost all countries dealing with the pandemic sent the entire world into an extensive crisis and thus into a deep global recession. Since the outbreak began, many European countries have faced three/four waves of pandemic. Portugal has mainly dealt with three waves (March/April'2020; October/November'2020; January/February'2021), the third being the deadliest one. The purpose of this article is to provide evidence on the impact of the COVID-19 on health-related quality of life (HRQol) and well-being (W-B) of Portuguese citizens. It aims to (i) characterize these outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic; (ii) compare them to pre-COVID-19 Portuguese population; and (iii) identify the social determinants that may affect these outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

This study used data from a survey that collected data on HRQoL, W-B, satisfaction with life, economic and labour impacts, access to healthcare, mental and physical health, amongst others. The survey was implemented by telephone to a representative random sample of 1,255 respondents from the general adult Portuguese population, stratified by sex, age group and region. Data was collected during the end of the second national lockdown. For comparison purposes, we have also used two other representative databases from the general Portuguese population: (i) data from before the pandemic (n = 1,006); and (ii) data from a survey conducted during the first lockdown, (n = 904).

RESULTS

Looking at health and access to healthcare, 4% of citizens had their surgeries postponed or cancelled because of COVID-19, more than a quarter had medical appointments or complementary exams postponed or cancelled, with 7% over 65 years old with surgeries cancelled or postponed and 32% medical appointments. COVID-19 pandemic also impacted negatively on the HRQoL of citizens, especially in the first lockdown. Half of the respondents reported feeling nervous, anxious, or on edge, about 45% of citizens felt sad or depressed. Sleeping problems were reported for almost 39% of citizens, and loneliness is reported by 29% of citizens. For about 70-85% of citizens, these feelings were more so than before the pandemic. Citizens with fair/strong economic stability were the most economically affected by the pandemic.

CONCLUSIONS

We provided evidence on the impact of COVID-19 on health and W-B of Portuguese citizens. Their health was worse than before the pandemic and the access to healthcare was highly affected.

Metabolic control of diabetic patients assisted by private and public health care systems during the COVID-19 pandemic: A retrospective cohort study

AIMS

We sought to analyze the impacts of social restriction measures imposed by the pandemic COVID-19 on the control of metabolic parameters in diabetic patients.

METHODS

We accessed the medical records of patients who underwent clinical follow-up in the public and private health systems between July 2019 and June 2021. The sample consisted of 288 patients (111 adults and 177 older individuals). A two-way ANOVA mixed model was used to test the effects of intra- (time: baseline and after 24 months) and inter-subject factors. Linear regression analysis was used to predict the difference in body weight considering age, sex, HbA1c, health care system and insulin use.

RESULTS

Among adults, we observed an increase in body weight and LDL-c levels, especially for insulin users (p ≤ 0.05). Adults assisted by the public health care system showed higher HbA1c levels (p = 0.001). Among older individuals using insulin, blood glucose levels decreased (p = 0.019). Body weight decreased in those assisted by the private system (p = 0.005), while glycemia decreased for patients assisted by both health care systems (p = 0.043). The linear regression model confirmed that the increase in body weight was more pronounced in adults than in older individuals.

CONCLUSION

The social restriction measures imposed by the pandemic affected the metabolic control of diabetic patients, especially adults assisted by the public health care system.

Do executive functions buffer against COVID-19 stress?: A latent variable approach

Levels of COVID-19 stress have soared worldwide as a result of the pandemic. Given the pernicious psychological and physiological effects of stress, there is an urgent need for us to protect populations against the pandemic's psychological impact. While there exists literature documenting the prevalence of COVID-19 stress among various populations, insufficient research has investigated psychological factors that might mitigate this worrying trend. To address this gap in the literature, the current study seeks to examine executive functions as a potential cognitive buffer against COVID-19 stress. To do so, the study adopted a latent variable approach to examine three latent factors of executive functions and their relation to COVID-19 stress among a sample of 243 young adults. Structural equation models showed differential associations between COVID-19 stress and the latent factors of executive functions. While the latent factor of updating working memory was associated with attenuated COVID-19 stress, task switching and inhibitory control were not significantly associated with COVID-19 stress. These results further our understanding of the critical processes of executive functions and highlight the nuanced link between executive functions and pandemic-related stress.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-023-04652-8.

Fear of COVID-19, Mental Health and Resilient Coping in Young Adult Male Inmates: A Portuguese Cross-Sectional Study

Inmates are highly exposed to mental and physical disorders. Therefore, periodic screening of their mental health and other health risks is required. This study aims to investigate the perceived fear of COVID-19 and the psychological impact of the pandemic in a sample of young adult male inmates. An institutional-based quantitative cross-sectional study design was performed. Data collection took place from July to September 2022 at a juvenile prison in the central region of Portugal. Data were collected using questionnaires on demographic and health characteristics; fear of COVID-19; depression, anxiety and stress levels; and resilient coping. The sample included 60 male inmates imprisoned for over 2 years. Stress was the most common symptom among inmates (75%), followed by anxiety (38.3%) and depression (36.7%). The mean score on the Fear of COVID-19 Scale was 17.38 ± 4.80, indicating relatively low fear levels. Low resilient scores were found in 38 participants (63.3%). Participants reported moderately high ranges of 3.62 ± 0.87 regarding mental health perception, 3.73 ± 0.95 for physical health perception, and 3.27 ± 0.82 for global health concerning the previous month. The Pearson correlation matrix indicated significant and moderate to strong correlations between fear of COVID-19 and mental health-related variables (p < 0.001). The predicting factors of fear of COVID-19 were identified by deploying a multiple linear regression model. We found four predictors: age, perception of mental health, and overall levels of anxiety and stress (R² = 0.497). Fear of a given scenario or factor may shift with time. Therefore, long-term research is needed to evaluate whether fear of COVID-19 is adaptive or long-reactive in victims. Our study can assist policymakers, mental health and public health experts, and others in recognizing and managing pandemic-related fears and mental health symptoms.

The Moderation Effect of Cognitive Tendencies on the Relationship Between Fear of COVID-19 and Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms in Chinese Children

COVID-19 pandemic is a public health emergency with potential traumatizing effects on children. However, not many studies have been devoted to investigating the association between fear of COVID-19 and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) in children during the pandemic. Also, if the association is modulated by cognitive tendencies to focus on negative and positive information in children is unknown. The study recruited 122 native Chinese children from a primary school in mainland China. Self-reported psychological inventories were used to assess the above variables. The prevalence rate of PTSS in Chinese children was approximately 15.1%. Girls had higher post-traumatic stress levels than boys. Fear of COVID-19 was associated with higher level of post-traumatic stress in children. Only cognitive tendency to focus on negative information was significantly associated with the level of post-traumatic stress in children. Moreover, cognitive tendency to focus on negative information was a significant moderator of the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and PTSS. Generalization of the results to adults should be cautious. It was concluded that stronger fear of COVID-19 was related to more PTSS in children. The association of fear of COVID-19 with PTSS was significant only for children with strong tendency to focus on negative information. Cognitive interventions for PTSS may need to be delivered to children who have both strong fear of COVID-19 and strong tendency to focus on negative information.

The Effect of COVID-19 Fear in Patients and Clinical Nurses on Night Nursing Care

This study was conducted with the aim of determining the effect of fear of COVID-19 in patients and clinical nurses on night nursing care. This was a cross-sectional study. The research sample consisted of 604 patients and 270 clinical nurses selected by the convenience sampling method. Data were collected between August 2021 and July 2022 using a Patients' Information form, a Nurse's Information form, the Fear of COVID-19 scale, and the Night Nursing Care instrument. No significant difference was found between the total mean scores of the patients and the nurses on the Fear of COVID-19 scale or the Night Nursing Care instrument (rho = -0.017, p = .702; rho = -0.020, p = .741). It was found that patients' and nurses' fears of COVID-19 did not affect their perceptions of night nursing care.

FEAR AND STIGMATIZATION IN THE GENERAL POPULATION DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

OBJECTIVE

Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate the feeling of fear and stigmatization in the general population, during the pandemic. .

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Materials and Methods: The study sample consisted of 1076 people attending a vaccination center in the Region of Argos, a prefecture of Peloponnese Region. The study was conducted from May 2021 to August 2021. In this study we used the Fear Investigation Scale(FCV-19S) and the COVID-19 Stigma scale.

RESULTS

Results: A total of 1076 participants took part in the study. Vaccinated participants for Sars Cov-2 had higher levels of fear (U=117,569.00, p<0.001) and individuals with unspecified employment status had a higher level of fear compared to civil servants, pensioners, unemployed, private employees and freelancers (H = 17.225, p=0.004). Higher levels of fear were also seen by those who reported that they were uncertain that the COVID-19 pandemic was likely to be treated soon compared to those who believed it would be treated soon and those who did not believed this (H = 31.299, p<0.001). Vaccinated citizens showed a higher stigmatization rate of health professionals. Professional uncertainty and unemployment shows that they are a factor for increased fear. Strong social and family ties also indicate the reduced presence of stigmatization.

CONCLUSION

Conclusions: An important imprint of the pandemic was the stigmatization of population's groups, such as health professionals, foreigners, as well as the infected by COVID-19. It is evident in society, that it was the fear of contracting the disease that contributed to stigmatization and isolation.

Maternal Anxiety and Its Associated Factors During the First and Second Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic in Serbia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Aim

The COVID 19-pandemic affects people differently, while pregnant women are among the most sensitive populations. The data about maternal mental health during the COVID-19 outbreak are in some ways consistent but also country-specific.

Purpose

The study aims to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pregnant women's anxiety and identify its associated factors.

Patients and Methods

This cross-sectional study included a sample of 358 pregnant women during the first and second waves of the pandemic in Serbia. An anonymous survey included basic demographic questions, pregnancy-related background questions, the question of self-reported COVID-19-related fear, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS).

Results

The study revealed no pregnant women with low anxiety levels measured by STAI-T and STAI-S, while the STAI-S and STAI-T scores indicated high anxiety in 32.4% and 42.7% of pregnant women, respectively. The obtained results pointed out the nonlinear dependence of state anxiety on observed associated factors and their complex interactions, including the data collecting period.

Conclusion

Our findings reveal that COVID-19 affects pregnant women's mental health and makes it necessary for psychological monitoring and support for pregnant women, which may be reflected in their mental health but also the development of their offspring.

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 the Need for Closure and Coronavirus Fear: The Mediating Effect of Beliefs in Conspiracy Theories about COVID-19

This study investigated the relationship between fear of the coronavirus, belief in COVID-19 conspiracy theories, and dimensions of the need for cognitive closure. As there is evidence of associations between these variables, we hypothesized that the relationship between the need for closure dimensions and coronavirus fear may be mediated by conspiracy beliefs about COVID-19. We analyzed the results from 380 individuals who completed online versions of three scales: the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, a short version of the Need for Closure Scale, and-designed for this study-the Conspiracy Theories about the Coronavirus Scale. The results showed that belief in COVID-19 conspiracy theories fully mediated the relationship between the fear of the coronavirus and avoidance of ambiguity, as well as closed-mindedness. The findings provided evidence that beliefs in conspiracy theories may play a significant role in reducing the level of coronavirus fear in people with high levels of these traits. In addition, a partial mediation between the fear of the coronavirus and the need for predictability was found. The limitations and implications of the research are discussed.

COVID-19 e a saúde mental de médicos residentes na atenção primária

Introdução: A pandemia da COVID-19 tem feito inúmeras vítimas fatais em todo o mundo. Ela não apenas ameaça a esfera física do indivíduo, como também pode gerar importante adoecimento psicológico na população, principalmente por conta do medo de contrair a doença. Objetivo: Avaliar a relação do medo da COVID-19 com sintomas ansiosos e depressivos dos residentes de Medicina de Família e Comunidade da região metropolitana de Fortaleza. Métodos: Realizou-se um estudo quantitativo analítico, correlacional e transversal, no qual os participantes responderam a um formulário eletrônico que continha um questionário elaborado pelos autores e os instrumentos Escala Hospitalar de Ansiedade e Depressão (HADS) e Escala de Medo do COVID-19 (EMC-19). Resultados: A pesquisa contou com 50 participantes. Verificou-se que 52% dos residentes apresentavam sintomas de ansiedade, 36% sintomas depressivos e 22% possuíam medo da doença de moderado a intenso. As maiores médias de medo foram dos residentes que já tratavam ansiedade ou depressão e dos residentes que iniciaram tratamento durante a pandemia. Conclusões: O estudo demonstrou que uma porcentagem relevante dos pesquisados apresentou sintomas de ansiedade e depressão, além de mostrar associação direta entre esses sintomas e o medo da COVID-19. Conclui-se enfatizando que o contexto pandêmico exige maior atenção às circunstâncias da saúde mental dos residentes de Medicina de Família para propor medidas de enfrentamento mais resolutivas à problemática.

Factors associated with change in adherence to COVID-19 personal protection measures in the Metropolitan Region, Chile

Personal protective measures such use of face masks, hand washing and physical distancing have proven to be effective in controlling the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, adherence to these measures may have been relaxed over time. The objective of this work is to assess the change in adherence to these measures and to find factors that explain the change For this purpose, we conducted a survey in the Metropolitan Region of Chile in which we asked the adherence to these measures in August-September 2021 and retrospectively for 2020. With the answers obtained we fit a logistic regression model in which the response variable is the relaxation of each of the self-care preventive actions. The explanatory variables used are socio-demographic characteristics such as the age, sex, income, and vaccination status of the respondents. The results obtained show that there has been a significant decrease in adherence to the three personal protection measures in the Metropolitan Region of Chile. In addition, it was observed that younger people are more likely to relax these measures. The results show the importance of generating new incentives for maintaining adherence to personal protection measures.

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.

Investigating Predictors of Psychological Distress for Healthcare Workers in a Major Saudi COVID-19 Center

This study investigated the relationship between fear of COVID-19, previous exposure to COVID-19, perceived vulnerability to disease, sleep quality, and psychological distress among healthcare workers (HCWs) in Taif city in Saudi Arabia, which has a population of 702,000 people. A cross-sectional study design was adopted. HCWs (n = 202) completed a survey containing the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), Perceived Vulnerability to Disease (PVD), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). FCV-19S and sleep quality were significant predictors for psychological distress. Female gender was a significant predictor for depression and stress. Single, divorced, and widowed marital status were predictive for anxiety. FCV-19S was weakly correlated with PVD but moderately with depression, anxiety, and stress. Of the two PVD subscales, perceived infectability was weakly correlated with psychological distress. PVD and previous experience with COVID-19 were not significant predictors. Sleep quality and FCV-19S were major predictors of psychological distress. Findings indicated that poor sleep quality was strongly associated with psychological distress, while fear of COVID-19 had a moderate association. Such results support the need to design and implement psychological programs to assist HCWs in dealing with the psychological impact of this ongoing pandemic.

COVID-19 and challenges of assistive technology use in Iran

PURPOSE

Assistive technology users may encounter challenges and inequality in having an access to health information and care during the emergency or in a crisis time. This issue seems to be understudied in most developing countries. The aim of this study was to explore the challenges faced by Iranian people with disabilities faced during the COVID-19 pandemic as far as the use of assistive technology is concerned.

METHOD

A thematic analysis approach was employed to collect and analyse the data. We interviewed 10, 12 and 20 participants with physical, visual, and hearing disability, respectively during the pandemic between May to July 2020. A six-step thematic analysis method was used to identify categories and main themes.

RESULTS

The results revealed that people with disability were faced with some challenges in accessing information or receiving it on time during the emergency time. The lack of clear information may increase uncertainty about providing, using or maintaining assistive products. With no clear information or instruction, increased fear of infection, as well as the lack of necessary infrastructure for using available online applications, people with a disability had to rely more on others and seemed to feel disempowered.

CONCLUSION

Assistive technology (AT) users may not receive enough care and attention during health crisis, nor may be included in crisis management programs. Actions to create preparedness plans to meet the needs of AT users in possible future crisis seem to be necessary.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONAssistive technology users' voice and needs should be given priority in crisis management programs.Web accessibility barriers and information accessibility challenges need more research attention in order to create effective and timely information dissemination programs.There seems to be a research gap about AT users during health crisis, and more research in this area is needed.

Fear among Syrians: A Proposed Cutoff Score for the Arabic Fear of COVID-19 Scale

COVID-19 pandemic has led to psychological health issues one of which is fear. This study validates the Arabic version of the fear of COVID-19 scale and suggests a new cutoff score to measure fear of COVID-19 among the Syrian Population. A total of 3989 participants filled an online survey consisting of socio-demographic information, the fear of COVID-19 scale, the patient health questionnaire 9-item, and the generalized anxiety disorder 7-item. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to define cutoff scores for the fear of COVID-19 scale in relation to generalized anxiety disorder 7-item and the patient health questionnaire 9-item. The Cronbach α value of the Arabic fear of COVID-19 scale was 0.896, revealing good stability and internal consistency. The inter-item correlations were between [0.420–0.868] and the corrected item-total correlations were between [0.614–0.768]. A cutoff point of 17.5 was deduced from the analysis. According to the deduced cutoff point, 2111(52.9%) were categorized as extreme fear cases. This cutoff score deduced from this study can be used for screening purposes to distinguish community members that may be prone to developing extreme fear of COVID-19. Therefore, early preventive and supportive measures can then be delivered.

Cross-cultural measurement invariance of the fear of COVID-19 scale in three Portuguese-speaking countries

This study evaluated the measurement invariance of the Portuguese version of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) across three countries: Brazil (South America), Mozambique (East Africa), and Portugal (Southwest Europe). A total of 8694 participants were recruited through convenience sampling (7430 Brazilians, 387 Mozambicans, and 877 Portuguese adults). The unidimensional structure of the FCV-19S fitted well with each country’s data. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis showed that the FCV-19S was partially invariant across countries and fully invariant across gender and age groups, thus providing a solid basis for cross-group comparisons. Structural invariance tests revealed different levels of fear across countries and genders but not across age groups.

Psychological Impact Assessment in Patients with Noncommunicable Diseases during COVID-19 Pandemic through Validated Fear of COVID-19 scale: A Cross-Sectional Online Survey

Background The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has created immense panic globally with its advent in December 2019 and now showing readvent with its camouflage of different dangerous mutant strains. Its psychological repercussions on the community are very disastrous and immeasurable. At this juncture, the most vulnerable group are the patients of Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) who are the most sufferers due to the impact caused by the anxiety and fear of COVID-19 apart from its high rate of infectivity. In this context, an online survey to assess the levels of anxiety and fear of COVID-19 in patients with lifestyle diseases has been taken up.

Methods This was an online cross-sectional survey using the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) to assess the levels of anxiety and fear in patients with NCDs. The survey was made available for both genders and an age group of 30 years and above in India.

Results and Discussion A total of 627 participants participated in this online survey. The Indian residents with NCDS )Noncommunicable diseases) were found to suffer from significantly increased levels of anxiety and fear of COVID-19 and almost 60.4% of the participants were found to acquire these lifestyle diseases as diabetes and hypertension during this recent COVID-19 times.

Conclusion This survey shows the real-time psychological impact of COVID-19 which has a disastrous effect upon the community especially on the patients with NCDs who are the most vulnerable group. The study findings corroborate with the recent studies conducted on NCDs.

Psychometric Properties of an Instrument to Assess the Fear of COVID-19 in a Sample in Argentina: a Mixed Approach

The FCV-19S was the first instrument designed to assess the severity of fear related to COVID-19 and has already been validated in many languages. The objective of this study was to evaluate the homogeneity and construct validity of the 5-item version of the FCV19S, using an online questionnaire in 599 people. The participants' age ranged from 18 to 65 years. Age, gender, marital status, educational level, employment status, and socioeconomic status were analyzed. In the evaluation process we assessed interitem correlation, item rest-correlation, confirmatory factor analysis: Root Mean Square Error of Approximation, Comparative Fix Index, Tucker-Lewis Index; internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha, McDonald's omega), and the Rasch model was assessed for learning more about the psychometric properties of the scale, which allows a detailed knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of a scale. The FCV-5S has adequate psychometric indicators from the perspective of the Classical Theory of Items. The major limitations were using a self-reported measure and having a convenience sample not necessarily representative of the general population of Argentina.

COVID-19 Knowledge/Practices, Mental Status, and Return-To-Work Concerns Among Healthcare Workers in Huangzhou District, Huanggang City, China

Objective:

This study investigated the COVID-19-prevention knowledge and practices of healthcare workers (HCWs), their psychological states concerning the return to work, and their trust and requirements in using traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to prevent and treat COVID-19. It is hoped that the study can serve as a reference for policy making during the resumption of work in other countries or regions experiencing similar situations.

Methods:

This study comprised a quantitative cross-sectional online survey design. Purposive sampling and Cluster sampling were used to recruit all HCWs working in public hospitals in Huangzhou District, Huanggang City, Hubei Province, China. From April 23 to May 14, 2020, surveys were sent electronically to all 13 public hospitals in this area.

Results:

In total, 2,079 responses were received and 2,050 completed forms were included. After analysis, 47.9 and 46.6% of HCWs indicated that they possessed very good knowledge or good knowledge of preventative measures, respectively. Multivariable log-binomial regression indicated that male, tertiary hospital, medical staff, and undergraduate/postgraduate qualification were associated with good knowledge. Good knowledge was also well-correlated with good practice (OR: 3.277; 95% CI: 2.734–3.928; P < 0.01). 59.8% of HCWs reported worries about resuming work; especially asymptomatic infections. The Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) indicated that 10.8% of participants had mild anxiety, 1.5% moderate anxiety, and 0.1% severe anxiety. Female, divorced/widowed, and working in a high risk hospital (the Huangzhou District People's Hospital was used for throat swab examinations of returning workers) were risk factors for concerns about resuming work and anxiety symptoms. However, good preventive knowledge was a protective factor for anxiety. HCWs' trust in using TCM to treat COVID-19 was significantly higher than their trust in using TCM for prevention (P < 0.001). Regarding preferences for preventative TCM products, oral TCM granules were the most preferred (62.4%). HCWs also indicated they wanted to know more about the clinical efficacy, applicable population, and adverse reactions of preventative TCM products (89.3, 81.1, and 81.4%, respectively).

Conclusion:

While HCWs had good knowledge of COVID-19 preventative measures, this did not eliminate the psychological impact of resumption of work. Promotion of COVID-19 prevention knowledge reduces the risk of infection, and alleviates the worries and anxiety symptoms of HCWs about resuming work (especially in administrative staff, those with low education, and those working in primary hospitals). Additional psychological support is required for female HCWs, divorced/widowed HCWs, and those working in high-risk hospitals. Finally, systematic trials of preventative TCM products are recommended.

The Impact of Maternal Anxiety on Early Child Development During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: Maternal prenatal anxiety is among important public health issues as it may affect child development. However, there are not enough studies to examine the impact of a mother's anxiety on the child's early development, especially up to 1 year. Objective: The present prospective cohort study aimed to examine whether maternal trait anxiety, perceived social support, and COVID-19 related fear impacted speech-language, sensory-motor, and socio-emotional development in 12 months old Serbian infants during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This follow-up study included 142 pregnant women (Time 1) and their children at 12 months (Time 2). Antenatal maternal anxiety and children's development were examined. Maternal anxiety was assessed using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Child speech-language, sensory-motor, and socio-emotional development were assessed using the developmental scale in the form of an online questionnaire that examined the early psychophysiological child development. Information on socioeconomic factors, child and maternal demographics, clinical factors, and perceived fear of COVID-19 viral infection were collected. Multivariable General Linear Model analysis was conducted, adjusted for demographic, clinical, and coronavirus prenatal experiences, maternal prenatal anxiety levels, perceived social support, speech-language, motor skills, and cognitive and socio-emotional development at the infants' age of 12 months. Results: The study revealed the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal trait anxiety. The association between selected independent factors and infants' development was found in a demographically unified sample except for employment and the number of children. There was a correlation between all observed developmental functions. Univariate General Linear model statistical analysis indicated that linear models with selected independent factors and covariates could account for 30.9% (Cognition) up to 40.6% (Speech-language) of variability in developmental functions. It turned out that two-way and three-way interactions had a dominant role on models, and STAI-T Level and COVID-19 related fear were present in all interaction terms. Conclusion: Our findings reveal important determinants of child developmental outcomes and underline the impact of maternal anxiety on early child development. These findings lay the groundwork for the following interdisciplinary research on pregnancy and child development to facilitate and achieve positive developmental outcomes and maternal mental health.

Socio-Demographic Variables, Fear of COVID-19, Anxiety, and Depression: Prevalence, Relationships and Explanatory Model in the General Population of Seven Latin American Countries

The COVID-19 pandemic has gravely impacted Latin America. A model was tested that evaluated the contribution of socio-demographic factors and fear of COVID-19 on anxiety and depression in samples of residents in seven Latin American countries (Argentina, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Uruguay, Colombia, and El Salvador). A total of 4,881 individuals, selected by convenience sampling, participated in the study. Moderate and severe levels of depressive symptoms and anxiety were identified, as well as a moderate average level of fear of COVID-19. In addition, it was observed that about a quarter of the participants presented symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder and a major depressive episode. Fear of COVID-19 significantly and positively predicted anxiety and depressive symptoms, whereas the effects of socio-demographic variables are generally low [χ2(287) = 5936.96, p < 0.001; RMSEA = 0.064 [0.062, 0.065]; CFI = 0.947; and SRMR = 0.050]. This suggests the need for the implementation of preventive actions in the general population of these countries, with the aim of reducing the prevalence of depressive, anxious and fearful symptoms related to COVID-19.

Tracheal intubation while wearing personal protective equipment in simulation studies: a systematic review and meta-analysis with trial-sequential analysis

BACKGROUND

Tracheal intubation in patients with coronavirus disease-19 is a high-risk procedure that should be performed with personal protective equipment (PPE). The influence of PPE on operator's performance during tracheal intubation remains unclear.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of simulation studies to evaluate the influence of wearing PPE as compared to standard uniform regarding time-to-intubation (TTI) and success rate. Subgroup analyses were conducted according to device used and operator's experience.

RESULTS

The TTI was prolonged when wearing PPE (eight studies): Standard Mean Difference (SMD) -0.54, 95% Confidence Interval [-0.75, -0.34], p <  0.0001. Subgroup analyses according to device used showed similar findings (direct laryngoscopy, SMD -0.63 [-0.88, -0.38], p < 0.0001; videolaryngoscopy, SMD -0.39 [-0.75, -0.02], p =  0.04). Considering the operator's experience, non-anesthesiologists had prolonged TTI (SMD -0.75 [-0.98, -0.52], p < 0.0001) while the analysis on anesthesiologists did not show significant differences (SMD -0.25 [-0.51, 0.01], p = 0.06). The success rate of tracheal intubation was not influenced by PPE: Risk Ratio (RR) 1.02 [1.00, 1.04]; p = 0.12). Subgroup analyses according to device demonstrated similar results (direct laryngoscopy, RR 1.03 [0.99, 1.07], p = 0.15, videolaryngoscopy, RR 1.01 [0.98, 1.04], p =  0.52). Wearing PPE had a trend towards negative influence on success rate in non-anesthesiologists (RR 1.05 [1.00, 1.10], p = 0.05), but not in anesthesiologists (RR 1.00 [0.98, 1.03], p = 0.84). Trial-sequential analyses for TTI and success rate indicated robustness of both results.

CONCLUSIONS

Under simulated conditions, wearing PPE delays the TTI as compared to dressing standard uniform, with no influence on the success rate. However, certainty of evidence is very low. Performing tracheal intubation with direct laryngoscopy seems influenced to a greater extent as compared to videolaryngoscopy. Similarly, wearing PPE affects more the non-anesthesiologists subgroup as compared to anesthesiologists.

Effect of Knowledge/Practice of COVID-19 Prevention Measures on Return-to-Work Concerns; Attitudes About the Efficacy of Traditional Chinese Medicine: Survey on Supermarket Staff in Huanggang, China

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate how knowledge and practice of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) prevention measures affected concerns about returning to work among supermarket staff. Attitudes about the ability of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to prevent COVID-19 were also assessed.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Huanggang, Hubei Province, China from April 23 to 25, 2020. Participants were invited to fill out an electronic questionnaire on their cell phones.

Results: The results showed that from 2,309 valid questionnaires, 61.5% of participants were concerned about resuming work. Major concerns included asymptomatic infection (85.01%) and employees gathering in the workplace (78.96%). Multivariate logistic regression indicated that the female gender, having school-aged children and pregnancy were risk factors for being concerned about resuming work, while good knowledge and practice of preventive measures were protective factors. Knowledge and practice of preventive measures were positively correlated. Among preventive measures, the highest percentage of participants knew about wearing masks and washing hands. Meanwhile, 65.8% of participants expressed confidence in the ability of TCM to prevent COVID-19, where 74 and 51.3% thought there was a need and a strong need, respectively, for preventive TCM-based products. Among them, 71.5% preferred oral granules. Regarding TCM as a COVID-19 preventative, most were interested in information about safety and efficacy.

Conclusion: These findings suggested that promoting knowledge and practices regarding COVID-19 prevention can help alleviate concerns about returning to work. Meanwhile, TCM can feasibly be accepted to diversify COVID-19 prevention methods.

Clinical Trial Registration:http://www.chictr.org.cn/, identifier: ChiCTR2000031955.

A Psychometric Analysis of Fear of COVID-19 Scale in India

COVID-19 has had a serious negative impact on the mental health of people around the world. The present study analyses the psychometric properties of Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) in the Indian context. The study checks the one-factor and two-factor structures of the measure. Data were collected from 992 respondents from India. Structural equation modeling was performed to check the construct validity after checking the factorial validity, reliability, and model fit. Both one-factor and two-factor models had good psychometric properties. FCV-19S had significant relationships with stress and wellbeing. This study can serve as a reference to practitioners and researchers to understand and analyze fear of COVID among individuals and thus to support the mental health wellbeing during the pandemic.

Fear of COVID-19 and the Media Influence on Herbal Medication Use in Uganda: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has created fear in people around the world. This has led to the widespread use of various herbal remedies in its prevention and treatment regardless of the paucity of scientific evidence about their safety and efficacy. This study assessed the fear of COVID-19 and the influence of media on the use of herbal medicine to prevent or treat COVID-19 in Uganda.

METHODS

In the first 2 weeks of July 2021, a descriptive online cross-sectional study was carried out anonymously in the general population in Uganda. A validated questionnaire was used to collect data on herbal medicine use and the influence of media. Fear of COVID-19 was rated using the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S).

RESULTS

We recruited 488 participants, 273 (55.9%) were female, with a median age of 25 (range: 18-73) years. Sixty-seven (57.8%) participants had a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis. The mean FCV-19S score was 21.7 SD 5.9 with 53.3% reporting high levels of COVID-19 fear. About 57.4% of participants reported using herbal remedies either to prevent or treat COVID-19-like symptoms. Media was the main source of information, with more than 80% of the participants reporting seeing or accessing information about herbal medication use. Women (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 1.74, 95% CI: 1.2-2.5, p=0.003) and people with a previously confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis (aOR: 3.1, 95% CI: 1.35-7.14, p=0.008) had a statistically significantly higher FCV-19S score. Being unemployed (aOR: 1.0, 95% CI: 1.1-2.3, p=0.008) and a female (aOR: 1.0, 95% CI: 1.1-2.3, p=0.012) were statistically significantly associated with herbal medicine use. Participants who used herbal remedies had a higher median FCV-19S score compared to non-users (23 versus 21, p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

The use of herbal medicines to treat or prevent COVID-19 is a widespread practice among the general population in Uganda amidst the high levels of fear of COVID-19.

The effect of COVID-19 on mental well-being in Switzerland: a cross-sectional survey of the adult Swiss general population

BACKGROUND

In addition to the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic to physical health, mental health is challenged by the emotional response to the situation and the official measures taken to stop the pandemic. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of impaired mental well-being due to COVID-19 and explore associated factors.

METHODS

The study was an observational, population-based, nationwide, cross-sectional online survey of a representative sample of the general Swiss population performed between March and April 2020. Participants reported on mental well-being, self-isolation/quarantine, their risk for developing severe COVID-19, and their work situation. Multivariable logistic regression analyses assessed risk factors for impaired mental well-being due to the pandemic.

RESULTS

Data from 1022 individuals were analysed. The median age was 44 years (range 18 to 78) and 49% were women. A third of respondents reported that the COVID-19 pandemic impaired their mental well-being and almost half reported specific mental health concerns. Impaired mental well-being was associated with having health problems (OR = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.29-2.74, vs no problems), being or living with someone at risk for severe COVID-19 (OR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1-1.9,), smoking (OR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.24-2.61), living in urban residential environments (OR = 1.62, 95% CI: 1.13-2.32, vs rural), not being able to work due to closed workplace (OR = 1.66, 95% CI: 1.04-2.67), aged between 18 and 29 years old (OR = 1.99, 95% CI: 1.32-3.01, vs 45 to 59 years old), and living in a single household (living with someone, OR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.44-0.97,vs single household). Overall, the most significant covariates of impaired mental well-being were specific mental health concerns: feeling depressed (OR = 7.21, 95% CI: 4.5-11.55), feeling less pleasure in doing things than before (OR = 6.28, 95% CI: 4.1-9.62), feeling anxious (OR = 6.13, 95% CI: 3.91-9.59) and feeling lonely (OR = 4.08, 95% CI: 2.53-6.58).

CONCLUSION

Impaired mental well-being can carry long-term consequences. We encourage policymakers to implement strategies to promote mental health during this pandemic situation. Special attention should be addressed to the youngest, those at risk for severe COVID-19 and those with government-imposed work restrictions.

Quality of life, physical activity and burnout syndrome during online learning period in Brazilian university students during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cluster analysis

The COVID-19 pandemic caused several changes in the teaching-learning process, as it abruptly replaced the conventional classes into online classes despite social distancing requirements. Such changes may be associated with several mental health problems and negatively affect the quality of life and academic performance of university students. We performed a cluster analysis in a large sample of Brazilian undergraduate students, considering sociodemographic data, physical activity frequency, study areas, Burnout Syndrome (BS), Quality of Life (QoL) and perception of online learning (OL) during COVID-19 pandemic. Seven hundred and three students (between 17 and 62 years, from 67 higher education institutions) participated in the study. We identified three different profiles of students regarding psychological aspects and OL perception. The first profile, called as the 'Low QoL' group was composed of younger students, mainly females, with higher frequency of psychological disorders (as evidenced by the self-report of depression and/or anxiety), in addition to higher Burnout scores, lower QoL and worse OL perception. The second profile called 'Intermediate QoL' comprised participants with an average age of 45 years, with a greater number of men, married, with kids and working in addition to studying. They presented better OL scores than the 'Low QoL' group. The third profile called 'Better QoL' comprised students with higher scores in all domains of QoL and better OL perception, with greater frequency of physical activity and lower BS scores. Students from Health courses showed higher scores for general QoL, and also for the psychological and environmental domains in relation to the other areas. Besides, students of the Exact Sciences courses showed higher scores on all OL perception items in comparison to the other courses. Our results provide insights regarding the mental health profile of undergraduate students, allowing educational managers to outline specific coping strategies to assist students during the pandemic.

Prevalence and Factors Associated with Fear of COVID-19 Among Homeless Individuals During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence from the Hamburg Survey of Homeless Individuals

PURPOSE

To clarify the prevalence and determinants of fear of COVID-19 among homeless individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Data were taken from the Hamburg survey of homeless individuals (n=150) covering homeless adults in Hamburg, Germany. Multiple linear regressions were used. Beyond sociodemographic and lifestyle-related independent variables, COVID-19-related factors were also used as independent variables.

RESULTS

In sum, 56.2% of homeless individuals reported no fear of COVID-19, 23.8% reported a little fear of COVID-19, 9.2% reported some fear of COVID-19 and 10.8% reported severe fear of COVID-19. Regressions showed that an increased fear of COVID-19 was significantly associated with younger age (β=-.01, p<0.05), absence of chronic alcohol consume (β=-.55, p<0.01), an increased perceived own risk of getting infected with the coronavirus one day (β=0.42, p<0.001) and a higher agreement that a diagnosis of the coronavirus would ruin his/her life (β=0.13, p<0.01).

CONCLUSION

Given the poor hygienic conditions and their increased vulnerability, data surprisingly suggest a quite low fear of COVID-19 among homeless individuals. Efforts may be beneficial which contribute to thinking rationally about COVID-19 among homeless people, since low levels of fear of COVID-19 may contribute to careless behavior and can lead to super-spreading events.

Translation of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale into French-Canadian and English-Canadian and Validation in the Nursing Staff of Quebec

Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, Quebec has been one of the most affected provinces in Canada. Rising fear of COVID-19 is inevitable among healthcare workers, and a new scale was developed to measure this type of fear, the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S). Aims: To translate the FCV-19S into French-Canadian and English-Canadian, and to validate both versions in the nursing staff from Quebec. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was sent to approximately 15 000 nursing staff including nurses and licensed practical nurses among those who had consented to their respective Order to be contacted for research. The forward-backward method was used to translate the FCV-19S into French-Canadian and English-Canadian. Both versions along with stress and work-related questionnaires, were used to establish validity. Results: A total of 1708 nursing staff, with a majority of women, completed the survey (1517 and 191 completed the French-Canadian and English-Canadian versions). A unidimensional scale was confirmed for both versions with Cronbach alphas of 0.90 and 0.88. Discriminative values showed higher fear levels in women, and in generation X (40-56 years old). Higher fear levels were also found in nursing staff working in long-term care facilities, provided care to COVID-19 patients who died, and those who felt less prepared to provide safe care. Convergent associations were found between fear levels, stress, work satisfaction, and turnover intention. Discussion and conclusion: A rigorous approach was used to translate the fear of COVID-19 scale into French-Canadian and English-Canadian. Both Canadian versions of the FCV-19S supported a valid unidimensional scale in Quebec nursing staff.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Internal Consistency, Gender Differential Item Functioning and Discriminant Validity of the Fear of COVID-5 Scale Amidst Emerging Adult University Students in Mexico

The study aimed to perform confirmatory factor analysis, internal consistency, gender differential item functioning, and discriminant validity of the Fear of COVID-5 Scale in emerging adult students of a university in Mexico. Confirmatory factor analysis, internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega), and gender differential item functioning were estimated (Kendall tau b correlation). The Fear of COVID-5 Scale showed a one-dimension structure (RMSEA = 0.07, CFI = 0.98, TLI = 0.96, and SRMR = 0.02), with high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha of 0.78 and McDonald's omega of 0.81), non-gender differential item functioning (Kendall tau b between 0.07 and 0.10), and significant discriminant validity (Higher scores for fear of COVID-19 were observed in high clinical anxiety levels). In conclusion, the Fear of COVID-5 Scale presents a clear one-dimension structure similar to a previous study.

Relationship between the fear of COVID-19 disease and sleep quality: the mediating role of stress

The whole world almost came to a standstill due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to this pandemic, most psychological responses have been at a higher prevalence such as stress, anxiety, depression, lower mental well-being, poor sleep quality, along with the fear of contracting the COVID-19 disease. Related to these psychological responses, previous studies have suggested an association between COVID-19 fear and stress as well as stress and sleep quality. The present study aimed to assess the association between COVID-19 fear and sleep quality and investigate the possible mediating effect of perceived stress during this pandemic. The data were collected, utilizing a self-report online questionnaire, from a sample of 521 Bangladeshi adults. Results showed significant gender differences in COVID-19 fear, stress, and sleep quality and also a significant association between these variables. Mediation results revealed that stress fully mediated the association between COVID-19 fear and sleep quality for males and partially mediated it for females. These results suggest that women are in a more vulnerable position in this pandemic. These findings would be helpful to mental health professionals and policy makers to address the psychological problems induced by the current pandemic.

[Evidence of the validity of a Brazilian version of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale]

This study sought to analyze the evidence of the validity of a Brazilian version of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), based on indicators relating to: (1) the internal structure; (2) the internal consistency; (3) the relation with external variables; and (4) the content. The instrument was culturally adapted, focusing on semantic and specifically Brazilian linguistic aspects. The Brazilian version of the FCV-19S was then applied, in a virtual environment, to 211 participants (72.98% female) with an average age of 37.07 years (SD=13.03), together with the Self-Perception Questionnaire on Mental Health in Pandemics and the Sociodemographic and Functional Questionnaire. The confirmatory factor analysis revealed one-dimensionality. The internal consistency indices obtained (Cronbach's alpha =0.921; McDonald's omega =0.926) can be considered high. The correlation between fear and obsessive thinking of the disease, generalized anxiety, generalized stress, phobic-avoidant behavior and bereavement due to the pandemic was found to be statistically significant. Evidence of the validity related to content, derived from a qualitative approach, were satisfactory. The conclusion drawn is that the Brazilian version of the FCV-19S proved to be adequate regarding the evidence of the expected validity.

COVID-19 Fear Level of Surgical Nurses Working in Pandemic and Surgical Units

Purpose

Nurses who care for COVID-19 patients are more likely to be affected psychologically than nurses who do not, and reactions such as increased fear may lead to psychological problems among nurses. The aim of this study was to determine the COVID-19 fear level of surgical nurses by using the Fear of COVID-19 Scale.

Design

A descriptive and cross-sectional study.

Methods

Totally, 202 surgical nurses who take care of suspected or infected COVID-19 patients working in pandemic and surgical units of a university hospital were included in the study. For data collection, “Nurse Characteristics Form” and “Fear of COVID-19 Scale” were used. Study data was analyzed with the descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U test, Spearman Correlation test.

Findings

The mean total COVID-19 fear score of the nurses was 25.09 ± 7.29 (min: 7, max: 35) and nurses who received training related to COVID-19 had statistically lower fear than those who did not (U = 3773.500; P= .027). Losing a patient because of COVID-19, being older and experienced in nursing significantly affected the total fear score of nurses (respectively, U = 3899.000; P= .004; r_s = 0.152; P = .031, r_s = 0.205; P = .003).

Conclusions

Surgical nurses have a moderate level of COVID-19 fear and it is recommended to conduct appropriate on-line training programs to develop psychological support strategies.

Fear of COVID-19 among Peruvian People Living in Disadvantaged Communities: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 crisis is fuelling a state of fear among the human population at global level. Especially, those living in informal settlements and slums worldwide have been profoundly impacted by this pandemic. Individuals living in these places are already leading underprivileged lives. Thus, the economic and mental health problems caused by the COVID-19 crisis have further exacerbated their living standards, which has resulted, for instance, in tragedies such as suicides.

OBJECTIVE

In this study, we have sought to identify those individuals most at risk of displaying high levels of fear of COVID-19 in an informal settlement located in the capital city of Peru.

METHODS

A questionnaire was administered to 449 inhabitants living in the Carmen Alto informal settlement. The questionnaire was made up of two parts: the first one inquired about demographic data and the second part consisted of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale.

RESULTS

The demographic variables of age, gender, marital status, educational level, occupation, whether a relative from the household was infected with COVID-19, and whether one of them died of this showed significant differences. It could be observed as well that the groups of females, stable workers, unemployed and those having completed a workforce education are at higher odds of displaying high levels of fear of COVID-19. As expected, the groups that had either a relative infected with COVID-19 or a relative death by this had the highest levels of fear towards the virus.

CONCLUSION

The female participants are more likely to display higher levels of fear of COVID-19 due to the terrible effect that unfavorable events have on them. In the cases of the unemployed and stable workers, their proneness to show high levels of fear towards the virus is because they have lost their incomes, due to the loss of their jobs, and because of fear of infection, respectively. Hence, we hope that this work serves Peruvian (and other) health authorities to develop strategies that help individuals living in informal settlements and are in urgent need of mitigating mental health problems.

COVID-19 and Mental Health: A Study of Stress, Resilience, and Depression among the Older Population in Pakistan

Extending studies of the adverse effects of SARS-2 coronavirus on general health consequences, this research explores complexities related to the mental health of the elderly as a result of pandemic-related stress. The study addresses this issue by using resilience theory to examine the effects of fear and exposure related to COVID-19 and depression. Besides, our study examines the moderating effects of self-efficacy in order to provide an understanding of how the coping abilities of the elderly may mitigate the effect of stress levels on mental health during pandemics. Our model is tested by analysing the survey data collected from Rawalpindi, a metropolitan city in Pakistan. The main results of the study confirm the positive association of pandemic-related fear and exposure virus with depression. However, self-efficacy shows a negative direct effect on depression, and the findings also confirm the moderation effect of self-efficacy on the fear of COVID-19 and depression, but the moderation effect of self-efficacy on COVID-19 exposure and depression is not supported. Based on the outcomes, some severe geriatric care policies that could weaken the pandemic-related fear, exposure to the virus, and depression are recommended.

Anxiety, Health Self-Perception, and Worry About the Resurgence of COVID-19 Predict Fear Reactions Among Genders in the Cuban Population

The resurgence of COVID-19 could deepen the psychological impacts of the pandemic which poses new challenges for mental health professionals. Among the actions that should be prioritized is the monitoring of the groups that have shown greater psychological vulnerability during the first stage of the pandemic. The first aim of our study is to explore the fear reactions to COVID-19 between genders during the second wave of the outbreak in Cuba. Second, establish possible predictors of fear of COVID-19 in relation to gender. Specifically, we will evaluate how anxiety related to COVID-19, health self-perception, and worry about the resurgence of COVID-19 predict fear reactions among women and men in the Cuban population. A cross-sectional online study was designed. The research was conducted between August 16 and October 18, 2020. A total of 373 people completed the online survey. A socio-demographic questionnaire, the Fear of COVID-19 Scale and the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale were used. An independent-samples t-test was conducted to compare the fear, worry, anxiety and self-perceived health scores, between genders. The relationship between those variables and fear of COVID-19, was investigated using Pearson correlation coefficient. Finally, multiple linear regression was used to evaluate the possible associations (predictors) related to fear of COVID-19. In our study, women, compared to men, presented greater fear reactions, greater concern about resurgence of COVID-19 and poorer self-perceived health. Anxiety reactions in our sample showed no differences between genders. In women, anxiety of COVID-19, worry about resurgence of COVID-19, and self-perceived health are associated with fear reactions to COVID-19. In the case of men, the self-perceived health showed no associations with fear reactions. Our results confirm the results of several related investigations during the first wave of the pandemic where women have shown greater psychological vulnerability compared to men. However, we cannot rule out that the real impact of the pandemic on mental health in men is much greater than that described by the studies conducted to date. Additional studies are needed on the psychological impact of COVID-19 on men.

Psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the fear of COVID-19 scale in Peruvian medical students

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to produce significant emotional consequences at the individual, community, societal, and global levels. This study describes the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) in Peruvian medical students. Data were collected by a convenience sampling method, resulting in a total of 1238 medical students from different medical schools in Peru. Our analyses suggest that a two-factor model explains the underlying two-dimensional structure of the FCV-19S. The results indicated that the Spanish version of the FCV-19S scale was found to have adequate psychometric properties.

Validation of the FCV-19 Scale and Assessment of Fear of COVID-19 in the Population of Mozambique, East Africa

PURPOSE

This study aimed to validate the Portuguese version of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) and investigate its association with sociodemographic and pandemic-related variables in the population of Mozambique.

PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS

A cross-sectional online survey recruited 387 Mozambicans aged 18 to 70 years. The psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the FCV-19S were evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis and Rash analysis. Additionally, the association of the FCV-19S with sociodemographic and pandemic-related variables was investigated using the two-sample t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and logistic regression.

RESULTS

The unidimensional factor structure of the Portuguese version of the FCV-19S was confirmed, and the scale showed good internal consistency reliability. The FCV-19S properties tested from the Rasch analysis were satisfactory. Women and those with lower education levels had higher scores of fear. Moreover, significantly higher levels of fear were observed among those being in an at-risk group for COVID-19, having family members or friends diagnosed or with death confirmed by COVID-19, and not being confident that they would receive adequate care from the public health services in case of COVID-19 infection.

CONCLUSION

The Portuguese version of FCV-19S has strong psychometric properties and can be used to assess the fear of COVID-19 in the Portuguese-speaking population of Mozambique. As the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health represents a challenge to clinical psychiatry, and information on mental health in African countries is still scarce, our findings may assist in the planning of public mental health policies, aimed mainly at specific segments of the population, such as women and people in extreme poverty.

Cross-cultural measurement invariance of the fear of COVID-19 scale in seven Latin American countries

The objective was to evaluate the cross-cultural measurement invariance of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) in 7 Latin American countries (Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico, Paraguay, Argentina, and Uruguay). The participants were 2944 people, selected through non-probability sampling for convenience, where the majority were women. Data collection occurred between 12 June and 14 September 2020. The results indicated that the model with two related factors presents a better fit to the data and has partial scalar invariance among the 7 countries. Differences in emotional and physiological reactions were observed between the countries.

Validation of the Brazilian Portuguese version of the Obsession with COVID-19 Scale (BP-OCS) using a large University Sample in Brazil

We aimed to validate a Brazilian Portuguese version of the Obsession with COVID-19 Scale (BP-OCS) using a large sample of university students in Brazil (N = 1454). The scale showed solid psychometric characteristics in terms of internal consistency (α = .78), test-retest reliability (ICC = .86), factorial validity (PAF and CFA support), and construct validity. Additionally, BP-OCS scores were found to be higher among females, participants with diagnosed depression, anxiety, and self-reported anxiety. These findings suggest that the BP-OCS is a reliable and valid measure of persistent and disturbed thinking about COVID-19 for Brazilian university students.

Adaptation and psychometric evaluation of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale in the general Colombian population

The study aimed to adapt and explore the psychometric performance of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) in the general Colombian population. The original FCV-19S is a 7-item scale that underwent an adaptation (Item 1 and 5 were deleted). From an online sample of 1,687 adults (59% female), exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed for versions of the scale with 6 and 5 items. Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega were calculated. The confirmatory factor analysis showed that the 5-item scale (Fear of COVID-5) presented better indicators. In conclusion, the Fear of COVID-5 has acceptable performance in the Colombian population.