Impacts of anxiety and socioeconomic factors on mental health in the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic in the general population in Japan: A web-based survey

Nagasu, Miwako; Muto, Kaori; Yamamoto, Isamu

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0247705

Cited by 75 publications

(71 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…In the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, people were exposed to fear of the unknown virus, and females were more easily affected by such fear. On the other hand, with the increasing understanding about and more effective control of the pandemic in China, such fear began subsiding gradually, and the pandemic-related chronic stress was more reflected in the socioeconomic aspect due to social isolations such as controlling mobility and gathering of people and limiting social activities between people [ 44 ], all of which may cause the increasing chronic stress in males. Study on college students showed higher prevalence of depression among male students and were mostly interpreted as the social isolation limited relaxation and stress release [ 45 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

COVID-19 pandemic related long-term chronic stress on the prevalence of depression and anxiety in the general population

Tian¹,

Hu²,

Ge³

et al. 2021

BMC Psychiatry

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Background The COVID-19 pandemic has lasted for more than 1 year, causing far-reaching and unprecedented changes in almost all aspects of society. This study aimed to evaluate the long-term consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on depression and anxiety, and explore the factors associated with it. Methods A cross-sectional study using an online survey was conducted to assess mental health problems from February 2 to February 9, 2021 by using patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and generalized anxiety disorder-7 (GAD-7). The insomnia severity index (ISI), demographic data and COVID-19 related variables were measured by a self-designed questionnaire. The factors associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms were identified by Pearson chi-square test and binary logistic regression analysis. Results In the study that 1171 participants enrolled, the overall prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms among general people was 22.6 and 21.4% respectively in the present study. Living alone was a potential risk factor for depressive symptoms, while regular exercises was a potential protective factor. The prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms was significantly associated with the severity of insomnia symptoms and the negative feelings about pandemic. Conclusion COVID-19 pandemic- related chronic stress has brought about profound impacts on long-term mental health in the general population. The level of insomnia and a negative attitude towards the pandemic are significantly correlated with unfavorable mental health. However, we failed to found a significant association of age and gender with the mental health symptoms, although they were recognized as well-established risk factors during the outbreak by some other studies. This discrepancy may be because the acute and chronic effects of the pandemic are influenced by different factors, which reminds that more attention should be paid to the intrinsic psychological factors and physical reactions towards COVID-19.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

COVID-19 pandemic related long-term chronic stress on the prevalence of depression and anxiety in the general population

Tian¹,

Hu²,

Ge³

et al. 2021

BMC Psychiatry

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Since coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID- 19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was first described based on a cluster of cases in China, there have been more than 236 million confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 4.8 million deaths, and the disease has caused an ongoing global pandemic [1]. Preventive measures such as social distancing, quarantining, and wearing masks, have become an essential part of daily life, and this pandemic has affected a wide range of people's lives, including mental, physical, and social aspects [2][3][4][5]. To eliminate this pandemic, widespread vaccination against COVID-19 has been regarded as a promising measure.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Attitudes of Medical Students toward COVID-19 Vaccination: Who Is Willing to Receive a Third Dose of the Vaccine?

et al. 2021

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Medical students may come in contact with individuals infected with COVID-19 in their clinical rotations. A high level of acceptance of vaccination is needed for them to protect their health and the health of patients from this disease. The objectives of this study were to (1) obtain information on medical students’ attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination, (2) assess factors associated with students’ attitudes, and (3) identify predictors of their willingness to receive a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Using a cross-sectional design, we conducted a questionnaire survey of medical students in July 2021. For this survey, we employed a 15-item questionnaire specifically developed to assess the students’ attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination. Of the 742 distributed questionnaires, 496 (294 males and 202 females) were completed. Among all the participants, 89.1% (442/496) received the second dose of the vaccine, and 90.7% (450/496) indicated that they would hypothetically receive the COVID-19 vaccine in the future. Furthermore, 84.5% (419/496) of all the participants were willing to receive a third dose of the vaccine. Regarding willingness to receive a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, multiple logistic regression models showed that students’ grade and their responses to Q1 (positive attitude toward vaccination), Q9 (belief in the protection offered by COVID-19 vaccination), Q10 (concern about the excessively rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines), Q12 (need for aspects of pre-pandemic life), and Q14 (concern about the sustainability of immunity) had significant associations with this outcome. Confidence in vaccines, relaxation of mobility restrictions, and concern about the sustainability of immunity motivate willingness to receive a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in medical students.

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“…It was also a surprising result considering the worse F scores reported in women. Studies conducted in several countries, including Japan, have shown that being female is one of the risk factors for poor mental health [41,42]. One study focusing on medical students in Japan did not show gender differences in mental health [43]; however, more studies have indicated being female is a mental health risk factor.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Companion Animal Ownership and Mood States of University Students Majoring in Animal Sciences during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan

Namekata

Yamamoto

2021

Animals

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COVID-19 caused great difficulties in many people’s daily lives, including university students in Japan. This study examined whether living with companion animals and attachment to companion animals influence the moods of university students. Students answered a questionnaire, including demographic data, companion animal ownership, attachment to their companion animals, perceived difficulties from COVID-19, and Profile of Mood States 2 (POMS2) results. A total of 180 students answered the questionnaire. Stepwise multiple regression analyses were conducted to identify factors related to the total mood disturbance (TMD) score of the POMS2. In the regression model, perceived difficulties from COVID-19 and having a companion animal and a strong attachment to their companion animals were significantly correlated with TMD and served as the predictor variables. The first variable was positively related to TMD, whereas companion animal ownership with high attachment to their companion animals was negatively related to TMD. This finding indicated that companion animal ownership with high attachment to their companion animals would relate to a positive mood in university students majoring in animal sciences during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, because of the limited population in size and by the students’ major, the results need to be interpreted as a possible effect of companion animals, and not as conclusive evidence to support the effects of animals.

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Impacts of anxiety and socioeconomic factors on mental health in the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic in the general population in Japan: A web-based survey

Cited by 75 publications

References 39 publications

COVID-19 pandemic related long-term chronic stress on the prevalence of depression and anxiety in the general population

COVID-19 pandemic related long-term chronic stress on the prevalence of depression and anxiety in the general population

Attitudes of Medical Students toward COVID-19 Vaccination: Who Is Willing to Receive a Third Dose of the Vaccine?

Companion Animal Ownership and Mood States of University Students Majoring in Animal Sciences during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan

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