Changqing Zou1, Weiyu Zhang2, Kristin Sznajder3, Fengzhi Yang2, Yajing Jia2, Ruqing Ma2, Can Cui2, Xiaoshi Yang2. 1. Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, CN. 2. Department of Social Medicine, School of Public Health, China Medical University, No.77 Puhe Road, Shenyang North New Area, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, 110122, P.R. China, Shenyang, CN. 3. Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Philadelphia, US.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The rapid outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) around the world has adversely affected the mental health of the public. The prevalence of anxiety among the public increased dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there are few studies on the effects of positive psychological responses and information seeking behaviors on WeChat users' anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the prevalence of anxiety and its associated factors among the WeChat users in mainland China during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: From February 10 to February 24, 2020, a nationwide cross-sectional survey was carried out online using convenience sampling in mainland China. Levels of anxiety, positive psychological responses, and information seeking behaviors were measured. Questionnaires were distributed to WeChat users via the WeChat smart phone platform. Chi-square tests and multivariable logistic regression analyses were applied to examine the factors associated with anxiety. RESULTS: This study found that the prevalence of anxiety (GAD-7 score ≥7) among WeChat users in China was 446/2,483 (17.96%) during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cannot stop searching for information on COVID-19, concerned about the COVID-19 pandemic, and spending more than 1 hour consuming information about the COVID-19 pandemic were observed to be associated with increased levels of anxiety according to the results of multivariable logistic regression. Additionally, participants who chose social media and commercial media as the primary sources of information about the COVID-19 pandemic were found more likely to report anxiety in this study. Conversely, it was observed that participants who were confident or rational about the COVID-19 pandemic were less likely to report anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that positive psychological responses and information seeking behaviors were closely associated with anxiety among WeChat users during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. It might be paramount to enhance mental well-being by helping people respond to the COVID-19 pandemic more rationally and positively in order to decrease symptoms of anxiety.
BACKGROUND: The rapid outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) around the world has adversely affected the mental health of the public. The prevalence of anxiety among the public increased dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there are few studies on the effects of positive psychological responses and information seeking behaviors on WeChat users' anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the prevalence of anxiety and its associated factors among the WeChat users in mainland China during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: From February 10 to February 24, 2020, a nationwide cross-sectional survey was carried out online using convenience sampling in mainland China. Levels of anxiety, positive psychological responses, and information seeking behaviors were measured. Questionnaires were distributed to WeChat users via the WeChat smart phone platform. Chi-square tests and multivariable logistic regression analyses were applied to examine the factors associated with anxiety. RESULTS: This study found that the prevalence of anxiety (GAD-7 score ≥7) among WeChat users in China was 446/2,483 (17.96%) during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cannot stop searching for information on COVID-19, concerned about the COVID-19 pandemic, and spending more than 1 hour consuming information about the COVID-19 pandemic were observed to be associated with increased levels of anxiety according to the results of multivariable logistic regression. Additionally, participants who chose social media and commercial media as the primary sources of information about the COVID-19 pandemic were found more likely to report anxiety in this study. Conversely, it was observed that participants who were confident or rational about the COVID-19 pandemic were less likely to report anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that positive psychological responses and information seeking behaviors were closely associated with anxiety among WeChat users during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. It might be paramount to enhance mental well-being by helping people respond to the COVID-19 pandemic more rationally and positively in order to decrease symptoms of anxiety.