The influence of illness perception, anxiety and depression disorders on students mental health during COVID-19 outbreak in Pakistan: a Web-based cross-sectional survey

Abstract

Purpose Since the emergence of a coronavirus disease (2019-nCoV) in December 2019, the whole world is in a state of chaos. Isolation strategy with quarantine is a useful model in controlling transmission and rapid spread. As a result, people remained at home and disrupted their outside daily activities. It led to the closure of educational institutes, which is a source of many students to cope with numerous personal and familial issues. This study aims to focus on exploring the relationships and potential mediational pathways between mental health problems, illness perception, anxiety and depression disorders. Design/methodology/approach The study incorporated snowball sampling techniques through a cross-sectional, Web-based survey and recruited 500 students from different universities of twin cities, Rawalpindi and Islamabad from March 23 to April 15, 2020, during the coronavirus outbreak lockdown. The study used four instruments, Beck Depression Scale, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire and The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale for assessing depression, anxiety, illness perception and mental health disorders. Findings The findings indicated normal (43.2%), mild (20.5%), moderate (13.6%) and severe (22.7%) levels of anxiety prevalence in students. Results specified a normal (65.9%), mild (9.10%), moderate (9.12%) and severe (15.90%) depression prevalence and findings stipulated that anxiety disorder prevalence was higher than depression disorder. The correlational results specified a negative and significant relationship between mental health, illness perception, anxiety and depression symptoms. The multiple regression analysis stated that anxiety and depression disorders mediated the relationship between mental health and present illness perception. The perception of illness exhibited a relation to depression and anxiety disorders. Originality/value The study proposed a model to address mental health problems during the lockdown. The (2019-nCoV) illness perception developed mental disorders, including anxiety and depression, which has declined individuals’ mental health. There is an urgent need for ongoing clinical examination and management to address psychological disorders and findings suggest assessing mental health to combatting the pandemic worldwide. Findings recommend developing strategies to promote mental health-care facilities during COVID-19 wide-ranging disasters. These results highlight the impending importance of devising strategies to treat mental health problems.

Digital Health Literacy About COVID-19 as a Factor Mediating the Association Between the Importance of Online Information Search and Subjective Well-Being Among University Students in Vietnam

“…Up to 77% of pharmacy students were unable to evaluate the quality of the health resources they found online ( 14 ). Thus, it can be assumed that searching for COVID-19 related information through the Internet and making health decisions is challenging for many of them ( 15 ).…”

Pathways to Financial Success: An Empirical Examination of Perceived Financial Well-Being Based on Financial Coping Behaviors

“…As the coronavirus pandemic spreads rapidly throughout the world, it is instilling widespread fear, worry, and concern in the general population and in particular among certain groups, such as older adults, caregivers, and people with underlying health conditions and well-being (Abbas, 2020 ; Aman et al, 2021 ; Aqeel et al, 2021 ; Maqsood et al, 2021 ). Therefore, in this era, it is more important to study financial well-being and its related factors.…”

Game Analysis on Epidemic Prevention and Resuming Production: Based on China’s Experience With COVID-19

“…At the same time, the continuous prevention and control of the epidemic would hinder the resumption of work and production, which would affect the economic and social development. A series of quantitative research methods are applied to this studying, such as descriptive statistics, analysis of covariance ( Azadi et al, 2021 ), multiple mediating effect ( Aqeel et al, 2021 ), multiple linear regression ( Khalid et al, 2021 ), Bayesian mixed-effects regression ( Local Burden of Disease HIV Collaborators, 2021 ), etc. In order to deal with the relationship between resumption and prevention/control well, it is necessary to understand the nature of the contradiction between the two, and promote the social resumption of work scientifically.…”

“…However, isolation strategy with quarantine disrupted people’s outside daily activities, directly led to mental health problems, illness perception, anxiety and depression, besides economic downturn ( Aqeel et al, 2021 ). Mounting studies specified that manifestly endless coronavirus related newsfeeds and death numbers considerably increased the risk of global mental health issues, which impeded virus restraint ( Abbas et al, 2021 ; Kar et al, 2021 ).…”

“…Since January 2020, China has been suffering a disaster in the form of the new coronavirus, and people’s life, social activity, and economic development have been greatly affected. People of China suffered a lot of mental pressure and higher anxiety level ( Maqsood et al, 2021 ) for limited economic activities the same as global people ( Abbas et al, 2021 ; Aqeel et al, 2021 ). The CPC Central Committee attached great importance to this situation, with General Secretary Xi making his priority to “put the safety and health of people first.” People in the whole country adopted this attitude, and governments at all levels made efficient arrangements, implementing central policies of epidemic prevention and control.…”