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Are Attitudes towards COVID-19 Pandemic Related to Subjective Physical and Mental Health?

Author

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  • Kristine Khachatryan

    (Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Untere Zahlbacher Str. 8, 55131 Mainz, Germany
    Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Leipzig University Medical Center, Semmelweisstr. 10, 04103 Leipzig, Germany)

  • Manfred E. Beutel

    (Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Untere Zahlbacher Str. 8, 55131 Mainz, Germany)

  • Yve Stöbel-Richter

    (Faculty of Managerial and Cultural Studies, University of Applied Sciences Zittau/Görlitz, Furstr. 3, 02826 Görlitz, Germany)

  • Markus Zenger

    (Department of Applied Human Studies, University of Applied Sciences Magdeburg-Stendal, Osterburger Str. 25, 39576 Stendal, Germany
    Integrated Research and Treatment Center Adiposity Diseases—Behavioral Medicine, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Philipp-Rosenthal-Strasse 27, 04103 Leipzig, Germany)

  • Hendrik Berth

    (Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Research Group Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany)

  • Elmar Brähler

    (Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Untere Zahlbacher Str. 8, 55131 Mainz, Germany
    Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Leipzig University Medical Center, Semmelweisstr. 10, 04103 Leipzig, Germany)

  • Peter Schmidt

    (Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Untere Zahlbacher Str. 8, 55131 Mainz, Germany
    Department of Political Science and the Centre of International Development and Environment (ZEU), University of Giessen, Karl-Glöckner-Straße 21E, 35394 Giessen, Germany)

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate the relationship between a person’s psychological distress, subjective physical health and their attitudes towards the COVID-19 pandemic. The evaluation was performed on the basis of data from two waves of the Saxon Longitudinal Study, carried out in 2019 (pre-pandemic) and 2021. The number of study participants in both waves was 291. We tested in autoregressive cross-lagged models the stability of the respondents’ health status before and during the pandemic and reviewed their influence on attitudes towards COVID-19. Our results show that COVID-19-related concerns are controlled by subjective physical health, while pandemic denial is linked to psychological distress. In an unknown and critical situation, with limited control over the situation, the strategy of avoidance or suppression may be used by individuals for protection by psychologically downplaying the stressor and danger.

Suggested Citation

  • Kristine Khachatryan & Manfred E. Beutel & Yve Stöbel-Richter & Markus Zenger & Hendrik Berth & Elmar Brähler & Peter Schmidt, 2022. "Are Attitudes towards COVID-19 Pandemic Related to Subjective Physical and Mental Health?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-16, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:21:p:14538-:d:964468
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Cuiyan Wang & Riyu Pan & Xiaoyang Wan & Yilin Tan & Linkang Xu & Cyrus S. Ho & Roger C. Ho, 2020. "Immediate Psychological Responses and Associated Factors during the Initial Stage of the 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Epidemic among the General Population in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-25, March.
    2. Bettina Siflinger & Michaela Paffenholz & Sebastian Seitz & Moritz Mendel & Hans-Martin von Gaudecker, 2021. "The COVID-19 Pandemic and Mental Health: Disentangling Crucial Channels," CRC TR 224 Discussion Paper Series crctr224_2021_271, University of Bonn and University of Mannheim, Germany.
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    4. Martin Sanchez-Gomez & Gabriele Giorgi & Georgia Libera Finstad & Flavio Urbini & Giulia Foti & Nicola Mucci & Salvatore Zaffina & José M. León-Perez, 2021. "COVID-19 Pandemic as a Traumatic Event and Its Associations with Fear and Mental Health: A Cognitive-Activation Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-14, July.
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