Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35226661›Full record

ArticlePloS one2022

A biopsychosocial model of severe fear of COVID-19.

Patrick Nürnberger, Dirk von Lewinski, Hans-Bernd Rothenhäusler, Celine Braun, Patrick Reinbacher, Ewald Kolesnik, Andreas Baranyi

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

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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

10 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Review
  6. COVID-19-Related Stressors and Clinical Mental Health Symptoms in a Northeast US Sample.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023
    Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
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

7 authors.

Patrick NürnbergerDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapeutic Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.ORCID 0000-0001-9827-3856
Dirk von LewinskiDepartment of Internal Medicine Division of Cardiology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Hans-Bernd RothenhäuslerDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapeutic Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Celine BraunDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapeutic Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Patrick ReinbacherDepartment of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Ewald KolesnikDepartment of Internal Medicine Division of Cardiology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.ORCID 0000-0002-9349-8068
Andreas BaranyiDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapeutic Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.ORCID 0000-0003-2389-1945

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionCOVID-19 is a respiratory infection that causes not only somatic health issues, but also frequently psychosocial burdens. The aims of this study were to investigate biopsychosocial factors that might further aggravate fear of COVID-19, and to establish a biopsychosocial model of severe fear of COVID-19.

methods368 participants were included in this study. Biopsychosocial factors observed comprised biological factors (somatic risk), psychological factors (state/trait anxiety, physical symptoms of anxiety, severe health anxiety, specific phobias, depression), and psychosocial factors (social support, financial losses, social media consumption, social contacts with COVID-19 infected people). Psychometric questionnaires included State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Beck's Anxiety Inventory, Whiteley-Index / Illness Attitude Scales, Specific Phobia Questionnaire, WHO-5 and Social Support Survey.

results162/368 (44.0%) participants had almost no fear, 170/368 (46.2%) participants had moderate fear, and 45/368 (12.2%) participants had severe fear of COVID-19. Female participants showed higher levels of fear of COVID-19 than male participants (gender: χ2 = 18.47, p<0.001). However, the level of fear of COVID-19 increased in male participants when they had contact with people who were infected with COVID-19, while in contrast the level of fear of COVID-19 decreased in female participants when they had such contacts [ANCOVA: fear of COVID-19 (contact x gender): F(1,363) = 5.596, p = .019]. Moreover, participants without relationships showed higher levels of fear of COVID-19 (marital status: χ2 = 14.582, p = 0.024). Furthermore, financial losses due to the COVID-19 were associated with higher levels of fear of COVID-19 [ANCOVA: fear of COVID-19(financial loss x gender): F(1, 363) = 22.853, p< .001]. Multiple regression analysis revealed female gender, severe health anxiety (WI-IAS) and state /trait anxiety (STAI) as significant predictors of severe fear of COVID-19.

conclusionIn this study significant predictors of severe fear of COVID-19 were female gender, pre-existing state and trait anxiety, as well as severe health anxiety. The finding of significant predictors of fear of COVID-19 might contribute to detect people who might suffer most from severe, overwhelming fear of COVID-19 at an early stage.

Indexed as

AnxietyCOVID-19Models, BiopsychosocialPhobic DisordersSARS-CoV-2Surveys and QuestionnairesAdultFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPsychometrics

Identifiers

PMID35226661
PMCPMC8884481

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Registered trials

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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.