Psychological Impact of Health Risk Communication and Social Media on College Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Cross-Sectional Study (Preprint)

Abstract

BACKGROUND The outbreak of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in 2019 would be expected to impact the psychological health of college students. Few studies have investigated associations between health risk communication, social media and psychological problems throughout a major pandemic. OBJECTIVE The aim of this research was to assess the prevalence of psychological problems and explore the association with health risk communication and social media. METHODS An online survey was distributed through Wenjuanxing platform among Chinese college students during March 3, 2020 to March 15, 2020. Besides demographics, health risk communication, social media, the Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90) subscale Phobia and Health Anxiety Inventory (HAI) were used to assess the psychological problems among 1667 college students in China. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to examine these independent risk factors. RESULTS The prevalence of panic and health anxiety was 17.2% and 24.3%, respectively. In aspect of health risk communication, understanding about the risk of COVID-19 (OR, 0.480; 95% CI, 0.367-0.627) was a protective factor against panic. Knowledge of prognosis (OR, 0.708; 95% CI, 0.551-0.910) and preventive measures (OR, 0.380; 95% CI, 0.195-0.742), wearing face masks (OR, 0.445, 95% CI, 0.230-0.862) were shown as protective factors in predicting health anxiety. Perceived lethality (OR, 1.860; 95% CI, 1.408 -2.459), affected by the global spread (OR, 1.936; 95% CI, 1.405-2.669), and impact on social contacts (OR, 1.420; 95% CI, 1.118-1.802) were identified as significant risk factors associated with health anxiety. In aspect of social media, trusted mainstream media (OR, 0.613; 95% CI, 0.461-0.816) was considered as a protect factor of health anxiety. CONCLUSIONS There was a high prevalence of psychological problems among college students. Health risk communication and social media were important in predicting psychological problems, especially health anxiety. Scientific and evidenced based information should be reported by social media. Online consultation and intervention measures should be implemented for college students during the global pandemic outbreak.