Concerns and reactions to COVID-19 in the confined population according to age and sex

ABSTRACT

Given the situation of lockdown implemented because of the COVID-19 virus, there is a need to study the sociodemographic variables and risk factors associated with psychological problems and greater difficulty with adapting to the situation, which could in turn help in the development of psychological treatment offered during and after isolation. The objective of this study is to analyse whether age and sex are related to the concerns and reactions experienced by the population. Fifteen days after the official lockdown order, we sent out an online survey comprising 23 questions. A sample of 1,711 was collected, which included participants' sociodemographic data, previous personal traits, psychological reactions, health habits, concerns and health activities. The results of the analyses showed a statistically significant association between age and feeling overwhelmed or claustrophobic, tiredness, concern that a family member becomes infected with the disease, irritability, fear and sadness, and between sex and concern that a family member becomes infected with the disease, sadness and fear. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) (Spanish) Ante la situacion de confinamiento provocada por el virus COVID-19, surge la necesidad de conocer cuales son las variables sociodemograficas y los factores de riesgo que se relacionan con problemas psicologicos y con una menor adaptacion a la situacion, lo que puede ayudar en el tratamiento psicologico que se puede ofrecer durante y despues del aislamiento. El objetivo del trabajo es estudiar si la edad y el genero se relacionan con las preocupaciones y las reacciones experimentadas por la poblacion. A los quince dias del decreto oficial de confinamiento se realizo una encuesta telematica de 23 preguntas a poblacion espanola. Se reunio una muestra de 1,711 sujetos, se recogieron datos sociodemograficos, rasgos personales previos, reacciones psicologicas, habitos de salud, preocupaciones y actividades de salud realizadas. Los resultados de los analisis indican una asociacion positiva entre la edad y sentimientos de agobio o claustrofobia, cansancio, preocupacion porque un familiar contraiga la enfermedad, irritabilidad, miedo y tristeza, asi como entre el genero y preocupacion porque un familiar contraiga la enfermedad, tristeza y miedo. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)