Coronavirus Awareness, Confinement Stress, and Mental Health: Evidence from Honduras, Chile, Costa Rica, Mexico and Spain

Overview

Journal Soc Sci Med

Date 2021 Apr 19

PMID 33873009

Citations 14

Authors

Miguel Landa-Blanco

Claudio J Mejia

Ana Lucia Landa-Blanco

Carlos A Martinez-Martinez

Daniela Vasquez

Gabriela Vasquez

Paulo Moraga-Vargas

Yarani Echenique

Glenda M Del Cid

Brayan D Montoya

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Rationale: The purpose of the current study was to analyze the influence of coronavirus awareness, psychological stress responses, and sociodemographic variables on mental health indicators (somatization, depression, and anxiety) in residents of Honduras, Chile, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Spain.

Methods: The study used a quantitative, cross-sectional approach. Data was collected online using the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18); the Coronavirus Awareness Scale-6 (CAS-6) and a questionnaire that included psychological and sociodemographic questions. The total sample size consisted of 1559 respondents from Honduras (34%), Chile (29%), Costa Rica (17%), Mexico (11%), and Spain (9%).

Results: The most common stress domains correspond to family (22.97%), financial (22.53%), academic (16.47%), leisure time constraints (14.23%), health (12.48%), peer group (7.63%), and religious concerns (3.69%). These domains are significantly associated with the respondent's country, sex, employment status, and being or not a health worker. Respondents who reported confinement stress also reported higher scores in anxiety, depression, and somatization. The Global Severity Index was significantly predicted by confinement stress, health, academic, and leisure time-related stress, sex, age, being a health worker, COVID-19 Personal Concern, and Perceived Seriousness. Non-significant predictors were employment status, the number of people at home, presence of older adults and children at home, financial, peer group, family, and religious concerns; the regression model had an R of 0.26. Similar analyses were conducted for somatization, depression, and anxiety subscales.

Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic has adverse effects on the mental health of the general population, particularly regarding anxiety, depression, and somatization. Specific populations, such as women and healthcare workers, are at particular risk of suffering a deterioration in mental wellbeing. The implications of the study for public policy are discussed.

Citing Articles

Work engagement and sense of coherence as predictors of psychological distress during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in Chile.

Gomez-Salgado J, Delgado-Garcia D, Ortega-Moreno M, Fagundo-Rivera J, El Khoury-Moreno L, Vilches-Arenas A Heliyon. 2024; 10(10):e31327.

PMID: 38803934 PMC: 11128991. DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31327.

A systematic review on the relationship between socioeconomic conditions and emotional disorder symptoms during Covid-19: unearthing the potential role of economic concerns and financial strain.

Chan J, Marzuki A, Vafa S, Thanaraju A, Yap J, Chan X BMC Psychol. 2024; 12(1):237.

PMID: 38671542 PMC: 11046828. DOI: 10.1186/s40359-024-01715-8.

Impacts for health and care workers of Covid-19 and other public health emergencies of international concern: living systematic review, meta-analysis and policy recommendations.

Fronteira I, Mathews V, Dos Santos R, Matsumoto K, Amde W, Pereira A Hum Resour Health. 2024; 22(1):10.

PMID: 38273317 PMC: 10809470. DOI: 10.1186/s12960-024-00892-2.

Psychological Distress in Young Chilean Adults Exposed to Parental Alienating Behaviors during Childhood/Adolescence.

Portilla-Saavedra D, Pinto-Cortez C, Moya-Vergara R Eur J Investig Health Psychol Educ. 2023; 13(9):1707-1716.

PMID: 37754462 PMC: 10528598. DOI: 10.3390/ejihpe13090123.

Psychological distress of inmates at a women's prison in Lima after the first wave of COVID-19 in November 2020.

Esteban-Febres S, Guzman-Gamarra S, La Cunza-Pena M, Quispe-Gutierrez Y Rev Esp Sanid Penit. 2023; 25(2):57-61.

PMID: 37552274 PMC: 10366706. DOI: 10.18176/resp.00068.

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