Exploring Factors and Associate Responses for Anxiety in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic: A Web-Based Survey in Japan

Abstract

Background and ObjectivesAnxiety plays an important role in psychology. An exploration of anxiety and its associated reactions may provide insight into measures for addressing mental health problems caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Data from this study provide potential correlational responses to anxiety.MethodsA cross-sectional study using data collected via an online self-reported questionnaire was conducted in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-6), we assessed anxiety levels and explored the relationship between anxiety STAI-6 score, sources of COVID-19 information, the influences of COVID-19, social anxiety symptoms, discrimination, and evaluation of the government.ResultsA total of 4,127 participants were included in the analysis. The level of anxiety was not equally distributed across the general population with respect to age, gender, educational level, occupation, income, presence of underlying disease, and location (p < 0.05). The number of sources of information on COVID-19 had a positive correlation with the STAI-6 score (Spearman’s rho = 0.176, p < 0.001). The influence of the pandemic was correlated with moderate–severe anxiety. A high level of anxiety added to social anxiety (Spearman’s rho = 0.04, p < 0.05) and discriminatory behavior (Spearman’s rho = 0.11, p < 0.01). Being female (Estimate = 0.926) and from a non-emergency area (Estimate = −0.308) was related to higher STAI scores, and higher education (Estimate = −0.305), and income (Estimate = −0.168) decreased the STAI score. The respondents who had a lower evaluative score of the preventive activities undertaken by the national and local governments had higher STAI-6 scores.ConclusionOur findings provide statistical evidence for the associated reaction of anxiety and that anxiety reactions may vary in predictable ways. Further studies should focus on the strategic interventions that may decrease the associated responses to anxiety, to address mental health issues due to the pandemic.

Association of COVID-19 Infection with Sociodemographic, Anthropometric and Lifestyle Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study in an Older Adults’ Population Aged over 65 Years Old

“…The above scale includes 6 questions and 4 potential responses (1 = not at all, 2 = somewhat, 3 = moderately, and 4 = very much) which represent usual signs of anxiety experienced by an individual. The scores on the 3 positively worded questions were reverse-coded, and a greater scoring corresponded to an elevated level of individual anxiety [51,52].…”

Factors impacting fertility anxiety among Chinese young women with marital status differences

“…The concept of anxiety originated from psychology [ 6 , 7 ]. However, more and more sociologists have argued that anxiety reflects not only individuals' psychology but potentially also their responses to social phenomena, known as “individual anxiety” or “social anxiety” [ 8 , 9 ]. In the process of making reproductive decisions, when a women's subjective desire to have a child conflicts with objective obstacles to reproduction, women of reproductive age may experience emotional anxiety, known as “fertility anxiety” [ 10 ].…”