Mental health consequences of COVID-19 media coverage: the need for effective crisis communication practices

Su, Zhaohui; McDonnell, Dean; Wen, Jun; Kozak, Metin; Abbas, Jaffar; Šegalo, Sabina; Li, Xiaoshan; Ahmad, Junaid; Cheshmehzangi, Ali; Cai, Yuyang; Yang, Ling; Xiang, Yu Tao

doi:10.1186/s12992-020-00654-4

Cited by 325 publications

(298 citation statements)

References 73 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

245

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…A growing body of literature suggests that COVID-related stressors may contribute to risk of pandemic-related psychiatric distress. 14 15 Results of the current study extend this work to suggest that COVID-related worries, financial distress and social restriction stress were independently associated with increased risk of screening positive for any internalising psychiatric disorders in veterans who survived COVID-19 infection.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 75%

Mental health and suicidal ideation in US military veterans with histories of COVID-19 infection

Tsai

Harpaz‐Rotem

et al. 2021

BMJ Mil Health

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

IntroductionThere have been reports of increased prevalence in psychiatric conditions in non-veteran survivors of COVID-19. To date, however, no known study has examined the prevalence, risk and protective factors of psychiatric conditions among US military veterans who survived COVID-19.MethodsData were analysed from the 2019 to 2020 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study, which surveyed a nationally representative, prospective cohort of 3078 US veterans. Prepandemic and 1-year peripandemic risk and protective factors associated with positive screens for peripandemic internalising (major depressive, generalised anxiety and/or posttraumatic stress disorders) and externalising psychiatric disorders (alcohol and/or drug use disorders) and suicidal ideation were examined using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses.ResultsA total of 233 veterans (8.6%) reported having been infected with COVID-19. Relative to veterans who were not infected, veterans who were infected were more likely to screen positive for internalising disorders (20.5% vs 13.9%, p=0.005), externalising disorders (23.2% vs 14.8%, p=0.001) and current suicidal ideation (12.0% vs 7.6%, p=0.015) at peripandemic. Multivariable analyses revealed that greater prepandemic psychiatric symptom severity and COVID-related stressors were the strongest independent predictors of peripandemic internalising disorders, while prepandemic trauma burden was protective. Prepandemic suicidal ideation, greater loneliness and lower household income were the strongest independent predictors of peripandemic suicidal ideation, whereas prepandemic community integration was protective.ConclusionPsychiatric symptoms and suicidal ideation are prevalent in veterans who have survived COVID-19. Veterans with greater prepandemic psychiatric and substance use problems, COVID-related stressors and fewer psychosocial resources may be at increased risk of these outcomes.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 75%

Mental health and suicidal ideation in US military veterans with histories of COVID-19 infection

Tsai

Harpaz‐Rotem

et al. 2021

BMJ Mil Health

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…46 People faced many problems and difficulties to resume their normal life functions like before, as the COVID-19 fears, uncertainty, and stress were too much manage virtually. 47 The COVID-19 health crisis also affected marital life among couples. [48][49][50] Women have faced many challenges during the health emergency.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Role of Social Media in the Advent of COVID-19 Pandemic: Crisis Management, Mental Health Challenges and Implications

Abbas¹,

Wang²,

et al. 2021

RMHP

Self Cite

272

160

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: This study focuses on how educating people through social media platforms can help reduce the mental health consequences of the COVID-19 to manage the global health crisis. The pandemic has posed a global mental health crisis, and correct information is indispensable to dispel uncertainty, fear, and mental stress to unify global communities in collective combat against COVID-19 disease worldwide. Mounting studies specified that manifestly endless coronavirusrelated newsfeeds and death numbers considerably increased the risk of global mental health issues. Social media provided positive and negative data, and the COVID-19 has resulted in a worldwide infodemic. It has eroded public trust and impeded virus restraint, which outlived the coronavirus pandemic itself. Methods: The study incorporated the narrative review analysis based on the existing literature related to mental health problems using the non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) approach to minimize the COVID-19 adverse consequences on global mental health. The study performed a search of the electronic databases available at PsycINFO, PubMed, and LISTA. This research incorporates the statistical data related to the COVID-19 provided by the WHO, John Hopkins University, and Pakistani Ministry of Health. Results: Pakistan reported the second-highest COVID-19 cases within South Asia, the fifthhighest number of cases in Asia after Iran, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and the 14th highest recorded cases, as of October 14, 2020. Pakistan effectively managed the COVID-19 pandemic in the second wave. It stands at the eighth-highest number of confirmed cases in Asia, the 3rd-highest in South Asia, and the 28th-highest number of established patients globally, as of February20, 2021. Conclusion:The COVID-19 has resulted in over 108.16 million confirmed cases, deaths over 2.374 million, and a recovery of 80.16 million people worldwide, as of February 12, 2021. This study focused on exploring the COVID-19 pandemic's adverse effects on global public health and the indispensable role of social media to provide the correct information in the COVID-19 health crisis. The findings' generalizability offers helpful insight for crisis management and contributes to the scientific literature. The results might provide a stepping-stone for conduct future empirical studies by including other factors to conclude exciting developments.

show abstract

“…There has been mounting evidence showing that outbreaks of infection could deteriorate individuals' mental health (5)(6)(7), and COVID-19 is not an exception. The threat of COVID-19 on physical health, the overflow of media coverage on COVID-19, and the unprecedented large-scale epidemic control measures taken by the Chinese government to curb the spread of COVID-19 (8), such as lockdown of the Wuhan city, strict management of working and living spaces, closure of schools and non-essential businesses, etc., all induced a considerable degree of negative emotions among the public (9)(10)(11).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mental Health Status of the Elderly Chinese Population During COVID-19: An Online Cross-Sectional Study

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: COVID-19 not only threatened the public's physical health but also brought unbearable psychological pressure, especially for those vulnerable groups like the elderly. However, studies on the psychological status of older adults during this public health emergency remained scant. This study aims to investigate the mental health status among the elderly Chinese population during COVID-19 pandemic and determine the influencing factors of psychological symptoms.Methods: From February 19 to March 19, 2020, an online survey was administered to Chinese older adults using a convenience sampling method. Information on demographic data, health status and other epidemic related factors were collected. Specifically, the study defined the psychological status as five primary disorder–depression, neurasthenia, fear, anxiety, and hypochondria–which were assessed by the Psychological Questionnaire for Emergent Event of Public Health (PQEEPH). Standard descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to analyze the data.Results: Of 1,501 participants recruited from 31 provinces in China, 1,278 were valid for further analysis. Participants' scores on each sub-scale were described in median and interquartile [M(Q)]: depression [0.00 (0.33)], neurasthenia [0.00 (0.40)], fear [1.00 (0.83)], anxiety [0.00 (0.17)], hypochondria [0.00 (0.50)]. Chronic diseases (depression p = 0.001; neurasthenia p < 0.001; fear p = 0.023; anxiety p < 0.001; hypochondria p = 0.001) and the BMI index (depression p = 0.015; neurasthenia p = 0.046; fear p = 0.016; anxiety p = 0.015; hypochondria p = 0.013) had significant impacts on all of the five sub-scales. Specifically, the rural dwellers had a higher level of neurasthenia, fear, and hypochondria. Besides, education level (p = 0.035) and outbreak risk level (p = 0.004) had significant impacts on the depression. Higher household monthly income per capita (p = 0.031), and the community-level entry/exit control (p = 0.011) are factors against anxiety.Conclusions: Most elderly residents reported mild negative emotions during COVID-19 and more attention should be paid to the recognition and alleviation of fear. Our findings also identified factors associated with the mental health status of the elderly, which is of practical significance in the design and implementation of psychological interventions for this vulnerable population during COVID-19 and future emerging diseases.

show abstract

Mental health consequences of COVID-19 media coverage: the need for effective crisis communication practices

Cited by 325 publications

References 73 publications

Mental health and suicidal ideation in US military veterans with histories of COVID-19 infection

Mental health and suicidal ideation in US military veterans with histories of COVID-19 infection

The Role of Social Media in the Advent of COVID-19 Pandemic: Crisis Management, Mental Health Challenges and Implications

Mental Health Status of the Elderly Chinese Population During COVID-19: An Online Cross-Sectional Study

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About