Assessment of psychological distress pattern & its correlates among people receiving COVID-19 vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study

Background & objectives: There is a possibility that vaccinated people may experience lesser psychological distress due to the sense of safety felt by them against getting the COVID-19 infection as compared to those who are not vaccinated. However, there is a paucity of research examining the mental health status of this important sub-group of population. Thus, the present study was aimed to examine the pattern of psychological distress and its correlates among people receiving COVID-19 vaccine. Methods: This cross-sectional study assessed individuals receiving COVID-19 vaccine at a tertiary care hospital. Psychological distress and COVID-19-related anxiety were assessed using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) and the COVID-19 Anxiety Scale-7, respectively. Results: The study comprised 728 individuals with a mean age of 44.8 yr. Moderate levels of depression, anxiety and stress were reported by about 50, six and 15 per cent of the participants, respectively, as assessed on DASS-21. Generalized linear model and quantile regression analyses revealed COVID-19-related anxiety, and being a healthcare worker or front-line worker as significant correlates of psychological distress. Interpretation & conclusions: About half of the study participants receiving COVID-19 vaccine reported moderate to severe symptoms of depression. Strategies focusing on alleviation of COVID-19-related fear and anxiety might be effective in improving the symptoms of psychological distress

An Experimental Investigation into the Influence of Illness-Related Emotions on Indicators of Conformity

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic represents a massive global health crisis which has produced significant psychological fear in individuals. Fear, a survival-related emotion studied in evolutionary psychology, leads people to place importance on conformity to group norms in terms of attitudes and behaviours, leading to better odds of survival. This study strives to explore the relationship between Illness- related emotions and the indicators of conformity. Methodology: The study employed an experimental design. Participants in the experimental group were primed by arousing disease-related threat in them, whereas the control group was not primed. Participants' tendency to endorse conformity in hypothetical situations were examined with the help of four measures- three choice-based tasks and one self-report questionnaire. Results: The research findings revealed that illness-related fear/anxiety has an impact on behavioural conformity with the majority opinion, but this impact was not significant on other three dependent measures of conformity- Valuation of Obedience, Self- reported Conformist attitudes and Liking for people with Conformist Traits. Conclusion: The study has implications in understanding the antecedent of conformity and the psychology of threat in the collectivistic culture of India, especially in the face of a pandemic.

Cyberchondria Severity, Health Anxiety, And Health Locus Of Control: The Mediation Role Of Covid-19 Anxiety

@#The current study investigates the relationship among Cyberchondria severity level, health anxiety and health locus of control as a direct response for COVID-19 anxiety among Arab people in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) and the Gulf States. The study employed four main scales; The Coronavirus Anxiety Scale Syndrome (CASS), Cyberchondria Severity Scale (CSS). Short Health Anxiety Inventory (SHAI) and the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control – Form C (MHLC-C). The study sample consists of 573 respondents from 15 Arab countries; 243 (42.4%) males and 330 (57.6%) females. Results of the study showed that there are no statistically significant differences between the study participants in the study variables; cyberchondria severity levels, health anxiety, and health locus of control during COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, findings revealed that cyberchondria severity was positively elated o health anxiety (r=0.14, p.03). The mediation simple model revealed that high levels of COVID-19 anxiety syndrome symptoms lead to increased levels of health anxiety, whereas, COVID-19 anxiety and health anxiety cannot mediate the relationship between cyberchondria and health locus of control. Based on the study results, it is recommended that individuals form different Arab countries differ in their COVID-19 anxiety syndrome symptoms which may lead to heightened levels of internet use to seek health information and health anxiety. Also, individuals are characterized by external locus of control, they view that protection from COVID-19 infection depends mainly on the external health systems and other experienced physicians.