A Perfect Storm? Health Anxiety, Contamination Fears, and COVID-19: Lessons Learned from Past Pandemics and Current Challenges

Dennis, Danielle; Radnitz, Cynthia L.; Wheaton, Michael G.

doi:10.1007/s41811-021-00109-7

Cited by 58 publications

(58 citation statements)

References 62 publications

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“…These concerns refer to the extent to which this specific type of health anxiety could continue affecting individuals in the long-term aftermath of this pandemic [83]. COVID-19 health anxiety differs from ordinary health anxiety because, in essence, the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has unique characteristics when compared to other epidemics or health phenomena, such as extended media coverage, higher transmission and lethality rates and symptoms resembling those of anxiety (e.g., shortness of breath and persistent chest pressure and/or pain) [83,84]. Indeed, it has been suggested that the psychological impact of COVID-19 might be more severe for those already experiencing health anxiety [84].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…COVID-19 health anxiety differs from ordinary health anxiety because, in essence, the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has unique characteristics when compared to other epidemics or health phenomena, such as extended media coverage, higher transmission and lethality rates and symptoms resembling those of anxiety (e.g., shortness of breath and persistent chest pressure and/or pain) [83,84]. Indeed, it has been suggested that the psychological impact of COVID-19 might be more severe for those already experiencing health anxiety [84]. Our findings showed that anxiety was the strongest unique mediator in explaining the relationship between traumatic distress and depression.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Traumatic Distress of COVID-19 and Depression in the General Population: Exploring the Role of Resilience, Anxiety, and Hope

Nearchou

Douglas

2021

IJERPH

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International evidence published so far shows that the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted on global mental health. Specifically, there is some research suggesting that the psychological distress related to depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress has impacted on the psychological well-being of the general population. Yet, there is limited evidence on the relational paths between COVID-19 traumatic distress and depression. Participants of this cross-sectional study were 456 adults 18 years old or older from the general population (Mean age = 41.2 years, SD = 11.7) who completed an online questionnaire including measures assessing depression, anxiety, resilience, hope and traumatic distress related to COVID-19. Structural equation modelling was applied to examine the proposed mediation model. The results confirmed the proposed model, with traumatic distress of COVID-19, resilience, anxiety and hope explaining a considerable amount of variance (59%) in depression scores. Traumatic distress of COVID-19 was a strong positive predictor of depression, while anxiety, hope and resilience were both joint and unique mediators of this relationship. Exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic is strongly associated with depression in adults of the general population. The co-occurrence of anxiety may negatively contribute to experiencing higher levels of depression, while resilience and hope may act as buffers against depression associated with the impact of this pandemic. Our findings suggest that wide community-based interventions designed to promote resilience, build hope and reduce anxiety may help mitigate depression associated with exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Traumatic Distress of COVID-19 and Depression in the General Population: Exploring the Role of Resilience, Anxiety, and Hope

Nearchou

Douglas

2021

IJERPH

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“…Aun así, estos resultados merecen un seguimiento, ya que las obsesiones relacionadas con la contaminación no están presentes en todos los subtipos de TOC. En este sentido, y teniendo en cuenta la limitación de que los artículos seleccionados, excepto uno (Jelinek et al, 2021), no indican a qué subtipo de TOC pertenecían los pacientes participantes en cada estudio, podríamos hipotetizar que los pacientes de TOC que experimentaron un empeoramiento pertenecían al subtipo de lavadoresaquellos con obsesiones focalizadas en la contaminación y compulsiones de lavado - (Jelinek et al 2021;Dennis et al 2021). Por tanto, serían necesarios estudios que investigaran el efecto de la COVID-19 según el tipo de TOC de los pacientes.…”

Section: Discussionunclassified

“…Zhang et al (2021) y Yuan et al (2020 plantean que estos resultados podrían estar relacionados con que los trabajadores sanitarios están mejor informados que los no sanitarios y los estudiantes acerca del peligro real de la COVID-19. Sin embargo, y teniendo en cuenta que los trabajadores sanitarios son profesionales de "primera línea" en la pandemia, cabría esperar que se vieran más afectados por el virus (Chong et al 2004;Maunder et al 2003; como se citó en Dennis et al, 2021) por lo que sería interesante que estos resultados continuaran siendo investigados.…”

Section: Discussionunclassified

“…Estos datos están en consonancia con los modelos explicativos de la terapia cognitiva sobre el TOC que postulan la intolerancia a la incertidumbre como una de las creencias fundamentales en el origen y mantenimiento del trastorno (Cruzado, 2014). también han indicado que las preocupaciones sobre la COVID-19 correlacionan positivamente de forma significativa con los síntomas de TOC (en especial con los de contaminación/lavado) y la intolerancia a la incertidumbre; y estos resultados coinciden con los obtenidos a partir de pandemias anteriores, como la HN1N (Taha et al, 2014), y de la investigación sobre el virus VIH (Scragg, 1995) (Dennis et al, 2021).…”

Section: Discussionunclassified

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Trastorno Obsesivo-Compulsivo en tiempos de la COVID-19: una revisión sistemática

Imbali-Vázquez

Romero-López-Alberca

2021

Escritos Psicología

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La pandemia por la COVID-19 ha afectado física y mentalmente a las personas. Se realizó una revisión sistemática sobre la influencia de la COVID-19 en la exacerbación e incidencia de los síntomas de Trastorno Obsesivo-Compulsivo (TOC), en pacientes y población general. Los resultados, a partir de 23 artículos de investigación y 1 estudio de caso, se ordenan según población diana y zona geográfica, y se discuten contrastándose con pandemias anteriores. Algunos indican que la COVID-19 ha impactado negativamente la sintomatología de TOC mientras otros apuntan a que no se ha visto afectada y/o ha mejorado. Este tema debería continuar investigándose.

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Contributions of trauma and economic insecurity to psychological distress in response to the COVID‐19 pandemic

Abdul‐Ghani,

Lathan,

Miao

et al. 2023

Mental Health Science

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Racially minoritized women with limited socioeconomic resources are at increased risk for adverse psychological outcomes in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic. Disproportionate rates of trauma exposure and economic insecurity likely heighten risk for these outcomes among socioeconomically vulnerable individuals, but the unique contributions of these factors are poorly understood. As such, we examined trauma and economic factors as predictors of pandemic‐related psychological distress and symptoms. Ninety‐six women recruited for a trauma research study (91.7% Black, Mage = 38.3 years, SDage = 11.8 years) completed measures of trauma exposure, economic insecurity, and several items assessing psychological distress and symptoms related to the COVID‐19 pandemic. We examined concern for mental and physical health impacts of COVID‐19 as well as changes in self‐reported levels of anxiety and anhedonia from the 3 months before the pandemic to the previous 2 weeks. Linear regression analyses were used to assess contributions of trauma exposure and economic insecurity to COVID‐19‐related distress. Childhood maltreatment and lifetime trauma exposure did not predict COVID‐19‐related distress; however, financial concern significantly contributed to concern for the physical health impact of COVID‐19 (B = 0.30, p < 0.05). Food insecurity emerged as the only significant predictor of concern for the mental health impact of COVID‐19 (B = 0.91, p < 0.01). Housing instability was the only significant predictor of COVID‐19‐related increases in anhedonia (B = −0.30, p < 0.05). Economic insecurity, namely, self‐reported financial concern, food insecurity, and housing instability, was related to COVID‐19‐related psychological distress and symptoms in a sample of predominately Black American women living in under‐resourced communities. Findings may help identify populations at risk for COVID‐19‐related psychological distress and symptoms and appropriate interventions, such as expanding access to nutritious food sources and housing support, for minoritized community members.

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A Perfect Storm? Health Anxiety, Contamination Fears, and COVID-19: Lessons Learned from Past Pandemics and Current Challenges

Cited by 58 publications

References 62 publications

Traumatic Distress of COVID-19 and Depression in the General Population: Exploring the Role of Resilience, Anxiety, and Hope

Traumatic Distress of COVID-19 and Depression in the General Population: Exploring the Role of Resilience, Anxiety, and Hope

Trastorno Obsesivo-Compulsivo en tiempos de la COVID-19: una revisión sistemática

Contributions of trauma and economic insecurity to psychological distress in response to the COVID‐19 pandemic

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