Can information disclosure buffer psychological anxiety due to COVID-19? Evidence from China.

Abstract

Objective: Since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, cases of infection continue to increase and pose a great threat to the safety of people. When an individual perceives a threat in the environment, a stress reaction is automatically triggered. Long-term stress can lead to severe mental problems. Thus, the present study aims to assess the relationship between information disclosure and psychological anxiety and to determine the mediating role of epidemic prevention satisfaction and epidemic prevention confidence. Method: A survey is conducted on 1,439 respondents to determine the mental health of Chinese residents during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The logit method is used to explore the correlation between information disclosure and psychological anxiety. Furthermore, the bootstrap decomposition method is used to verify the mediation effects of different aspects of epidemic prevention satisfaction and epidemic prevention confidence. Results: The study finds that information disclosure exerts a negative impact on psychological anxiety attributable to COVID-19 (b = À.085, p , .001), whereas epidemic prevention satisfaction and epidemic prevention confidence mediated the relationship between information disclosure and psychological anxiety. Conclusions: In exploring means to cope with challenges attributable to COVID-19, the study finds that information disclosure not only improves epidemic prevention satisfaction and epidemic prevention confidence but also buffers psychological anxiety attributable to COVID-19. Therefore, timely and accurate information from the government is beneficial for improving epidemic prevention satisfaction and epidemic prevention confidence and for alleviating psychological anxiety among Chinese residents. Clinical Impact StatementThis study directly influences clinical practice, because it provides tangible data on the experiences of Chinese people after the COVID-19 breakout. Using these data, the study found that epidemic information disclosure enhances sense of control and increases satisfaction with and confidence in epidemic control and prevention measures with the spread of COVID-19, which thereby alleviates psychological anxiety. The results also suggested several preventive measures. Given the current status of epidemic control and prevention, effective information on COVID-19 should be actively disclosed (e.g., effective infection prevention).