A sense of dread: affect and risk perception in people with schizophrenia during an influenza pandemic

Abstract

Objective: To explore the role of affect in risk perception and intention to adopt protective measures against pandemic swine influenza in people with schizophrenia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted exploring the responses of 71 adults with schizophrenia and 238 adults attending general practice settings without schizophrenia. Participants completed a questionnaire that included items relating to: self-predicted affect (affective forecast) were they to contract swine influenza; perceived risk from swine influenza; and willingness to adopt protective measures against swine influenza. The 10-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) and a single-item Self-Rated Health Question (SRHQ) were also included as measures. Results: In people with schizophrenia, higher levels of predicted fear were associated with increased likelihood of perceived substantive risk from swine influenza and self-reported willingness to adopt protective measures against it. However, higher K10 anxiety subscale scores, reflecting greater concurrent anxiety, were associated with reduced likelihood of perceived substantive risk from swine influenza in people with schizophrenia. Conclusion: Affect appears to play a role in risk perception of influenza and willingness to take protective measures against it in people with schizophrenia.

COVID-19 paranoia in a patient suffering from schizophrenic psychosis – a case report

“…Moreover, he was more concerned about others than himself, a manifestation possibly influenced by his former role as an ambulanceman. This observation may be in line with the previous reports that higher levels of concurrent anxiety in patients with schizophrenia correlated with lower perception of personal risk of infection with swine flu, although the reason for this effect is unclear (Maguire et al, 2019a). Patients with schizophrenia have also been shown to be less willing to get vaccinated and to adhere to social distancing during an influenza pandemic (Maguire et al, 2019b).…”

“…It is reasonable to expect that media coverage of exceptional circumstances will influence the content of delusional thoughts, especially in crises like infectious disease pandemics or after assassinations. However, the number of studies addressing such issues is very limited; one such study carried out during the 2009 swine influenza pandemic indicated that patients with schizophrenia and a high level of predicted fear tended to judge their own risk of infection as higher (Maguire et al, 2019a). An interesting aspect of the current case is that in a highly interconnected world, our patient assumed a Chinese WhatsApp message had infected him.…”

The potential impact of COVID-19 on psychosis: A rapid review of contemporary epidemic and pandemic research

“…For example, they reported that higher levels of reported anxiety in those with schizophrenia were associated with a reduced likelihood of perceiving they were at substantive risk from swine flu. Maguire also reported a trend in perception towards people with schizophreniacompared to controls -being less likely to get swine flu (Maguire et al, 2019).…”

“…Two papers were identified that examined perception of the risk of infection in people with psychosis (Iancu et al, 2005;Maguire et al, 2019). One study examined if the SARS epidemic caused anxiety and worry in 30 inpatients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia compared to a control group of 30 staff members in Israel where the virus was not endemic (Iancu et al, 2005).…”

“…In a second paper (Maguire et al, 2019) derived from the Maguire et al (2018) survey -the authors reported that in participants with schizophrenia, affect seems to play a role in risk perception of swine flu infection and willingness to adhere with protective measures. For example, they reported that higher levels of reported anxiety in those with schizophrenia were associated with a reduced likelihood of perceiving they were at substantive risk from swine flu.…”