Psychological Predictors of Anxiety in Response to the H1N1 (Swine Flu) Pandemic

Abstract

Pandemic illnesses, such as the H1N1 influenza (swine flu) are often highly publicized in the mass media and can be associated with high levels of anxiety and compensatory behavior (e.g., using hand sanitizers). The present research sought to investigate the psychological processes associated with swine-flu related anxiety during the H1N1 influenza pandemic of 2009-2010. Participants were 315 college students who completed survey measures between September 25th 2009 and February 16th 2010, which encompassed the peak of flu season and a time of intense media attention to this particular outbreak. Data revealed that anxiety in response to the swine flu was common in the sample. Regression analysis indicated that health anxiety, contamination fears and disgust sensitivity were significant predictors of swine flu-related anxiety. Implications for how concerns over pandemic illnesses such as the swine flu can be conceptualized and clinically managed are discussed.

Tracing “Fearbola”: Psychological Predictors of Anxious Responding to the Threat of Ebola

“…Ebola is indeed a severe illness with extremely unpleasant symptoms (e.g., fever and hemorrhaging), but it is possible that the frequent, widespread media coverage in the U.S. led residents to overestimate the severity of the disease. Similar possibilities were discussed in a study of undergraduates' fearful responding to the heavily publicized H1N1 pandemic in 2009(Wheaton et al 2012. Findings from our study cannot, however, provide causal evidence for the role of increased media coverage on increased Ebola fear and safety behavior use.…”

“…Our study measures were largely inspired by those designed by Wheaton et al (2012) in their investigation of anxious responding to the H1N1 influenza outbreak of 2009-2010. These authors reported that contamination cognitions (both likelihood and severity overestimates), disgust sensitivity, and health anxiety significantly predicted H1N1 fear, but that physical concern-related anxiety sensitivity, body vigilance, and general distress did not.…”

“…Items are rated from 1 (not at all) to 5 (very much) and were inspired by those used by Wheaton et al (2012) to assess H1N1 (swine flu) fears. The EFI demonstrated good internal consistency (a = .86) in the current sample.…”

“…This instrument was also inspired by a similar measure designed by Wheaton et al (2012). Participants rated the extent to which they engaged in activities due to concerns about Ebola on a 0 (none) to 10 (extreme amount) scale.…”

“…Accordingly, we designed the present study during the height of U.S. concerns about Ebola to better understand the psychological factors associated with Fearbola and engagement in Ebola-related safety behaviors. Informed by the limited body of recent research on anxiety among students in response to pandemic illnesses such as SARS (e.g., Wong et al 2007), avian flu (e.g., Lau et al 2008), and H1N1 (e.g., Wheaton et al 2012), we considered a variety of constructs that might predict the fear of Ebola, as we describe next.…”