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This is how the news about the pandemic affects your head
Psychology
People who spend a large number of hours reading information about the COVID-19 pandemic, and who therefore feel that they have a greater probability of being infected, «have a increased risk of psychological distress». This is affirmed by a scientific study carried out by Researchers from the Department of Psychology of the Loyola University together with other experts from the University of Huelva. In this, it has been evaluated, through a sample of 4.615 participants, the relationship between the psychological distress caused by the pandemic and the information received, the preventive measures adopted, level of concern, beliefs and knowledge about the infection.
This work, whose sample of participants corresponded to 50 Spanish provinces, states that more than 70% of those surveyed have suffered psychological distress related to the pandemic. In addition, the study carried out on the basis of the same sample presented other results, such as that people with the presence of psychological distress tend to value the information provided by the media “as more accessible, but of lower quality and usefulness.”
Likewise, people who have felt the most discomfort have carried out preventive measures more frequently recommended by WHO. Thus, the results detected that the measures with the highest degree of compliance were hand washing, while the use of a mask was in last place.
Social networks, «generators of anguish»
The article, titled «Psycho-Emotional Approach to the Psychological Distress Related to the Covid-19 Pandemic in Spain: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study» and published in the journal «Healthcare», it also reflects that 77,5% of the surveyed population has used social networks as the main source of information against the virus, compared to other media such as television (58,4%) and official information websites (48,8%).
To carry out this work, the scientists developed a questionnaire called the Emotional Impact Questionnaire Covid-19 (EIQ Covid-19), with differentiated questions according to the health worker and the general population.
Data on the presence of psychological distress in the respondent were assessed with the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) tool, used to assess mental health and psychological well-being based on the responses provided by individuals. This scientific work has been carried out based on information collected at the beginning of the state of alarm in Spain, at which time the contagions reached their maximum exponent.