Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33777650›Full record

ArticleZeitschrift fur Gesundheitswissenschaften = Journal of public health2023

Media consumption and mental health during COVID-19 lockdown: a UK cross-sectional study across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Ruth D Neill, Carolyn Blair, Paul Best, Emily McGlinchey, Cherie Armour

Open access · hybridAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Zeitschrift fur Gesundheitswissenschaften = Journal of public health, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 24 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
24citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
4.7field-weighted citation impact, top 5% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

24 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 37 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. When Infodemic Meets Epidemic: Systematic Literature Review.JMIR public health and surveillance · 2025
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  6. Mental health risks of pandemic-related media communication: The mediating roles of distinct types of perceived threat.Risk analysis : an official publication of the Society for Risk Analysis · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Ruth D NeillSchool of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work, Queen's University Belfast, 6 College Park Ave, Belfast, Northern Ireland BT7 1PS UK.ORCID 0000-0001-6387-4213
Carolyn BlairSchool of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work, Queen's University Belfast, 6 College Park Ave, Belfast, Northern Ireland BT7 1PS UK.
Paul BestSchool of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work, Queen's University Belfast, 6 College Park Ave, Belfast, Northern Ireland BT7 1PS UK.
Emily McGlincheyStress, Trauma, and Related Conditions (STARC) Research Lab, School of Psychology, Queen's University Belfast, Malone Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland BT9 5BN UK.
Cherie ArmourStress, Trauma, and Related Conditions (STARC) Research Lab, School of Psychology, Queen's University Belfast, Malone Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland BT9 5BN UK.
Queen's University Belfast · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Aim: As individuals adjust to new 'norms' and ways of living during the COVID-19 lockdown, there is a continuing need for up-to-date information and guidance. Evidence suggests that frequent media exposure is related to a higher prevalence of mental health problems, especially anxiety and depression. The aim of this study was to determine whether COVID-19 related media consumption is associated with changes in mental health outcomes. Methods: This paper presents baseline data from the COVID-19 Psychological Wellbeing Study. The cross-sectional study data was collected using an online survey following the Generalised Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7) and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), with some other basic information collected. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the influence of socio-demographic and media specific factors on anxiety and depression. Results: The study suggested that media usage is statistically significantly associated with anxiety and depression on the GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scales with excessive media exposure related to higher anxiety and depression scores. Conclusion: This study indicated that higher media consumption was associated with higher levels of anxiety and depression. Worldwide it should be acknowledged that excessive media consumption, particularly social media relating to COVID-19, can have an effect on mental health. However, as this was a cross-sectional study we cannot infer any directionality as we cannot infer cause and effect; therefore, future research involving longitudinal data collection and analyses of variables over time is warranted.

Indexed as

AnxietyCOVID-19DepressionMedia consumptionMental health

Identifiers

PMID33777650
PMCPMC7979466
OpenAlexW3134628615

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.