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Perception of Health Conditions and Test Availability as Predictors of Adults’ Mental Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Survey Study of Adults in Malaysia

Author

Listed:
  • Huiyang Dai

    (School of Economics and Management, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China)

  • Stephen X. Zhang

    (Faculty of Professions, University of Adelaide, Adelaide SA 5000, Australia)

  • Kim Hoe Looi

    (School of Economics and Management, Xiamen University Malaysia, Sepang 43900, Selangor, Malaysia)

  • Rui Su

    (School of Economics and Management, Xiamen University Malaysia, Sepang 43900, Selangor, Malaysia)

  • Jizhen Li

    (Research Center for Competitive Dynamics and Innovation Strategy, School of Economics and Management, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China)

Abstract

Research identifying adults’ mental health during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic relies solely on demographic predictors without examining adults’ health condition as a potential predictor. This study aims to examine individuals’ perception of health conditions and test availability as potential predictors of mental health—insomnia, anxiety, depression, and distress—during the COVID-19 pandemic. An online survey of 669 adults in Malaysia was conducted during 2–8 May 2020, six weeks after the Movement Control Order (MCO) was issued. We found adults’ perception of health conditions had curvilinear relationships (horizontally reversed J-shaped) with insomnia, anxiety, depression, and distress. Perceived test availability for COVID-19 also had curvilinear relationships (horizontally reversed J-shaped) with anxiety and depression. Younger adults reported worse mental health, but people from various religions and ethnic groups did not differ significantly in reported mental health. The results indicated that adults with worse health conditions had more mental health problems, and the worse degree deepened for unhealthy people. Perceived test availability negatively predicted anxiety and depression, especially for adults perceiving COVID-19 test unavailability. The significant predictions of perceived health condition and perceived COVID-19 test availability suggest a new direction for the literature to identify the psychiatric risk factors directly from health-related variables during a pandemic.

Suggested Citation

  • Huiyang Dai & Stephen X. Zhang & Kim Hoe Looi & Rui Su & Jizhen Li, 2020. "Perception of Health Conditions and Test Availability as Predictors of Adults’ Mental Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Survey Study of Adults in Malaysia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-10, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:15:p:5498-:d:391875
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lee Cronbach, 1951. "Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 16(3), pages 297-334, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Mahmoud Al-shami & Rawad Abdulghafor & Abdulaziz Aborujilah & Abubakar Yagoub & Sherzod Turaev & Mohammed A. H. Ali, 2023. "COVID-19 Tracking Applications Acceptance among General Populace: An Overview in Malaysia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-13, February.
    2. Tiberiu Constantin Ionescu & Bogdana Ioana Fetecau & Stefan Zaharia & Elma-Maria Mînecan & Catalina Tudose, 2023. "Sleepless Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Insomnia Symptoms among Professionally Active Romanians during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-16, January.
    3. Stephen X. Zhang & Hao Huang & Jizhen Li & Mayra Antonelli-Ponti & Scheila Farias de Paiva & José Aparecido da Silva, 2021. "Predictors of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms in Brazil during COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-10, June.
    4. Mohd Radzniwan Abdul Rashid & Sharifah Najwa Syed Mohamad & Ahmad Izzat Ahmad Tajjudin & Nuruliza Roslan & Aida Jaffar & Fathima Begum Syed Mohideen & Faizul Helmi Addnan & Nizam Baharom & Muslimah It, 2023. "COVID-19 Pandemic Fatigue and Its Sociodemographic, Mental Health Status, and Perceived Causes: A Cross-Sectional Study Nearing the Transition to an Endemic Phase in Malaysia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-18, March.
    5. Natasha Li & Sarah R. Martin & Theodore W. Heyming & Chloe Knudsen-Robbins & Terence Sanger & Zeev N. Kain, 2022. "Recurrent SARS-CoV-2 Serology Testing and Pandemic Anxiety: A Study of Pediatric Healthcare Workers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-9, August.

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