Anxiety symptoms and preventive measures during the COVID-19 outbreak in Taiwan

Abstract

Background It is hypothesized that anxiety and behavioral responses are intense at the beginning of an epidemic. The objective of this study was to investigate anxiety symptoms and use of preventive measures against COVID-19. The study also compared the association between preventive measures and anxiety symptoms during the week immediately preceding the study and those symptoms and measures at the beginning of the outbreak. Methods A cross-sectional population survey using an online questionnaire commenced on 14 February 2020. The study participants were residents of Taiwan ages 20 to 70 years. The 6-item state version of the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-6) was used to assess anxiety symptoms. The questions about preventive measures asked participants about their personal protection, cough etiquette, contact precautions, voluntary quarantine, and prompt reporting. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine the factors influencing an increase in the preventive measures scores. Results Of a total of 3555 completed responses, a total of 52.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] 50.4–53.7) of the respondents reported moderate to severe levels of anxiety symptoms in the past week, whereas 48.8% (95%CI 47.2–50.5) reported moderate to severe anxiety symptoms at the beginning of the outbreak. With a higher score indicating greater anxiety, the median scores for anxiety symptoms in the past week and at the beginning of the outbreak were 46.7 (IQR [interquartile range] 36.7–53.3) and 43.3 (IQR 36.7–53.3), respectively. The median scores for the preventive measures taken in the past week and at the beginning of the outbreak were 26.0 (IQR 21.0–30.0) and 24.0 (IQR 19.0–28.0), respectively, out of a maximum score of 36. In the multivariable analysis, an increased anxiety symptom score from the beginning of the outbreak to the past week (adjusted OR = 7.38, 95%CI 6.28–8.66) was a strongly significant determinant of an increased preventive measures score in the past week compared with the score at the beginning of the outbreak. Conclusions Anxiety and preventive measures scores were high and increased with the epidemic rate. Higher anxiety was associated with an increased use of preventive measures against COVID-19.

Effects of mask wearing on anxiety of teachers affected by COVID-19: A large cross-sectional study in China

“…Although some studies have found that mask wearing could create a false sense of security among some individuals ( Goh, Y., et al, 2020 ), public health education also needs to put more emphasis on these aspects to effectively fight anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic among Chinese population. Another previous study found higher anxiety being associated with an increased use of preventive measures against COVID-19 through a cross-sectional population survey involved 3555 residents of Taiwan aged between 20 to 70 years ( Wong, L.P., et al, 2020 ). We also think that the shortages of supplies, rising prices and increasingly frantic quests for surgical masks during the COVID-19 epidemic ( Choi, E.P.H., et al, 2020 ) may confound the association between mask wearing and the risk of anxiety.…”

Influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on Asian scholarly journal editors’ daily life, work, and opinions on future journal development

“…In Taiwan, an online questionnaire commenced on February 14, 2020. Of 3,555 adults, 52.1% reported moderate to severe anxiety symptoms [5]. As such, other studies have investigated anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic, but no previous research has specifically investigated daily life changes or changes in work among editors or publishing staff.…”

Problemática psicosocial y de salud mental reportada por consultantes del servicio de atención telefónica Línea de la Vida, derivados a Centros de Integración Juvenil durante la epidemia de COVID-19

“…Asimismo, debe destacarse que las mujeres se reconocieron en una mayor proporción como población vulnerable, refiriendo una mayor exposición a la violencia doméstica, así como a índices más altos de trastornos afectivos (ansiedad, estrés y depresión), como lo reportan otros estudios (Lin et al, 2020;Mazza, De Lorenzo et al, 2020;Özdin & Bayrak Özdin, 2020;Pappa, 2020;Qiu et al, 2020;Savitsky et al, 2020;Wong et al, 2020).…”

“…Creada para atender problemas de abuso de sustancias y de adicciones, bajo la coordinación de la Comisión Nacional contra las Adicciones (CONADIC), durante la pandemia la Línea de la Vida amplió su cobertura para dar respuesta no sólo a problemas por uso de sustancias, sino en general, a problemas de salud mental con incidencia durante la emergencia sanitaria. A partir de marzo de 2020, el Grupo Técnico de Trabajo de Salud Mental de la Secretaría de Salud ajustó sus estrategias para dar respuesta a las solicitudes de atención recibidas a través de este medio, a fin de dar cabida a la colaboración de instituciones y organizaciones que ofrecieron su apoyo para atender una demanda que mostraba un in-Los trastornos reportados más frecuentemente en el mundo son ansiedad y depresión, encontrándose tasas más altas de ansiedad entre la población de adultos jóvenes, mujeres, sectores económicamente vulnerables (Elbay et al, 2020;Hyland et al, 2020;Lin et al, 2020;Mental Health America, 2020;Qiu et al, 2020;Özdin & Bayrak Özdin, 2020;Wong et al, 2020), pacientes con un diagnóstico psiquiátrico previo (Mazza, De Lorenzo, et al, 2020) y personal de salud involucrado directa o indirectamente con la atención de población afectada por la epidemia (Luo et al, 2020;Mosheva et al, 2020;Torales et al, 2020;Savitsky et al, 2020). Por el contrario, destaca que adultos mayores, uno de los grupos más afectados en términos de mortalidad atribuible a COVID-19, muestran, según Bruine de Bruin (2020), niveles menores de depresión y ansiedad que adultos jóvenes.…”

“…En el caso de la epidemia del coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, hay un amplio número de estudios que dan cuenta de sus consecuencias en la salud mental, desde síntomas ligeros hasta trastornos graves que pueden afectar profundamente la vida de las personas, tales como depresión, ansiedad o estrés postraumático (Bruine de Bruin, 2020; Durankuş & Aksu, 2020;Elbay et al, 2020;Fitzpatrick et al, 2020;Huarcaya-Victoria, 2020;Hyland et al, 2020;Johnson et al, 2020;Jungmann & Witthöft, 2020;Karaşar & Canli, 2020;Luo et al, 2020;Martínez, 2020;Mazza, De Lorenzo et al, 2020;Mental Health America, 2020;Active Minds, 2020;Mosheva et al, 2020;Ni et al, 2020;Ozamiz-Etxebarria et al, 2020;Özdin & Bayrak Özdin, 2020;Pappa et al, 2020;Qiu et al, 2020;Ramírez-Ortiz et al, 2020;Rajkumar, 2020;Rehman et al, 2020;Salari et al, 2020;Savitsky et al, 2020;Tsamakis et al, 2020;Torales et al, 2020;Verma & Mishra, 2020;Wong et al, 2020).…”