Information seeking, mental health and loneliness: Longitudinal analyses of adults in the UK COVID-19 mental health and wellbeing study

Wilding, Sarah; O’Connor, Daryl B.; Ferguson, Eamonn; Wetherall, Karen; Cleare, Seonaid; O’Carroll, Ronan E.; Robb, Kathryn A.; O’Connor, Rory C.

doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114876

Cited by 6 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…Psychological factors and the existence of government restrictions are also likely to play a role. For example, higher levels of COVID-19 related worry and information seeking have been shown to be associated with clinically meaningful levels of anxiety and depression in this cohort already 7 , 28 . Further investigation is required in order to understand the precise causal mechanisms that account for the association between COVID-19 infection and poor mental health outcomes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 75%

Probable COVID-19 infection is associated with subsequent poorer mental health and greater loneliness in the UK COVID-19 Mental Health and Wellbeing study

Wilding

O’Connor

Ferguson

et al. 2022

Sci Rep

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The COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with psychological distress. In addition to physical effects including fatigue and cognitive impairment, contracting COVID-19 itself may also be related to subsequent negative mental health outcomes. The present study reports data from a longitudinal, national survey of the UK adult population investigating whether contracting suspected or confirmed COVID-19 at the early stages of the pandemic (March–May 2020) was associated with poorer mental health outcomes in May/June 2020, October/November 2020 and June/July 2021. A quota survey design and a sampling frame that permitted recruitment of a national sample (n = 3077) were utilised. Experience of contracting COVID-19 during the first UK lockdown was assessed along with levels of depression, anxiety, mental wellbeing and loneliness. Around 9% of participants reported contracting COVID-19 in March/May 2020 (waves 1–3) with just under 13% of the overall sample reporting COVID-19 at any one of the first three time points. Compared to those without probable COVID-19 infection, participants with probable COVID-19 had poorer mental health outcomes at follow-up with these effects lasting up to 13 months (e.g., May/June 2020:ORdepression = 1.70, p < 0.001; ORanxiety = 1.61, p = 0.002; Oct/Nov 2020, ORdepression = 1.82, p < 0.001; ORanxiety 1.56, p = 0.013; June/July 2021, ORdepression = 2.01, p < 0.001; ORanxiety = 1.67, p = 0.008). Having a pre-existing mental health condition was also associated with greater odds of having probable COVID-19 during the study (OR = 1.31, p = 0.016). The current study demonstrates that contracting probable COVID-19 at the early stage of the pandemic was related to long-lasting associations with mental health and the relationship between mental health status and probable COVID-19 is bidirectional.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 75%

Probable COVID-19 infection is associated with subsequent poorer mental health and greater loneliness in the UK COVID-19 Mental Health and Wellbeing study

Wilding

O’Connor

Ferguson

et al. 2022

Sci Rep

Self Cite

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“…Hence, coping strategies may be important indicators of psychological adjustment toward stress. Information seeking was linked to poor mental health outcomes during COVID-19, with individuals demonstrating stronger information seeking behavior more likely to be diagnosed with higher anxiety ( Wilding et al, 2022 ). Moreover, emotional support was positively related to environmental mastery regarding COVID-19, resulting in better psychological well-being ( Dumciene and Pozeriene, 2022 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social media use for coping with stress and psychological adjustment: A transactional model of stress and coping perspective

Sun

Zhang

et al. 2023

Front. Psychol.

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IntroductionThe psychological well-being of individuals has become an essential issue during the global pandemic. As a pervasive activity for individuals to pull through COVID-19, social media use may play a role in psychological well-being. Drawing on the transactional model of stress and coping, the current study investigated the relationships between COVID-19-related stressors and the use of social media to facilitate specific coping strategies. We further investigated how social media coping strategies impact users’ psychological adjustment.MethodsWe collected the data from 641 quarantined residents through a two-wave survey that was conducted in two cities in China during government-mandated lockdowns.ResultsThe results showed that perceived COVID-19 stress was related to the intensity of social media use for problem-focused coping, socioemotional coping, and mental disengagement. In addition, individuals’ psychological adjustment was positively associated with social media use for socioemotional coping and mental disengagement while negatively related to problem-focused coping. Age was also found to be a moderator of the relationship between socioemotional coping and psychological adjustment.DiscussionTo relieve pandemic-related stress, individuals can actively utilize social media to implement various coping strategies. However, coping activities with social media may not always induce psychological benefits. By revealing the different levels of psychological adjustment among social media users with specific coping strategies, the current research enriched the literature on the effects of social media use on mental health. Findings from this study suggest the need for the prudent use of social media to cope with public health crises.

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Exploring the relationship between suicide vulnerability, impulsivity and executive functioning during COVID-19: A longitudinal analysis

Rogerson

Prudenzi

O’Connor

2022

Psychiatry Research Communications

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Information seeking, mental health and loneliness: Longitudinal analyses of adults in the UK COVID-19 mental health and wellbeing study

Cited by 6 publications

References 36 publications

Probable COVID-19 infection is associated with subsequent poorer mental health and greater loneliness in the UK COVID-19 Mental Health and Wellbeing study

Probable COVID-19 infection is associated with subsequent poorer mental health and greater loneliness in the UK COVID-19 Mental Health and Wellbeing study

Social media use for coping with stress and psychological adjustment: A transactional model of stress and coping perspective

Exploring the relationship between suicide vulnerability, impulsivity and executive functioning during COVID-19: A longitudinal analysis

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