Anxiety Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic
Conditions
Keywords
Anxiety, Pandemic, Corona-Virus, SARS-CoV-2, Corona, Covid-19, Public Health, Mental Health, Health, Mental Disorders
Brief summary
The study aims to systematically examine various aspects of the anxiety associated with the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany. The data collection is carried out online with longitudinal repeated measurements.
Detailed description
The COVID-19 pandemic is currently one of the greatest challenges for numerous countries - also for Germany. In addition to its somatic and economic consequences, the psychological dimension of the Coronavirus pandemic is discussed increasingly and is visible in public life - e.g. in the pandemic-caused experience of threat, loss of control and panic of multiple people. The study examines the phenomenon of this corona-related anxiety in terms of epidemiological, clinical and psychosocial characteristics. It is investigated how corona anxiety affects people who already have an anxiety disorder or other mental illnesses as well as formerly mentally healthy people. It is also examined how media reporting and personal consequences of COVID-19 are connected with corona-related anxiety and if there is a need for therapeutic support regarding corona-related anxiety. To answer these questions a longitudinal online survey targeting the general population in Germany is carried out. The survey takes place all three weeks as long as the pandemic lasts and ends with one follow-up one year later.
Interventions
DIAGNOSTIC_TESTOnline Questionnaire
Online Questionnaire via SoSci Survey
Sponsors
Charite University, Berlin, Germany
Study design
Observational model
COHORT
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* informed consent was given * age ≥ 18 * able to complete the questionnaire in German * country of residence: Germany
Exclusion criteria
* if at least one of the inclusion criteria is not met
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Characteristics of COVID-19-related anxiety | 1 day | To investigate specific fears regarding the COVID-19 pandemic 9 self created items are used. Values ranging from 1 to 6, higher scores indicate a worse outcome. |
| COVID-19-related anxiety symptoms | 1 day | Modified German version of the DSM-5 Severity-Measure-For-Specific-Phobia-Adult-Scale by Beesdo-Baum et al. (2014). 10 items, values ranging from 1 to 5, higher scores indicate a worse outcome. The Scale was adapted to anxiety symptoms related to COVID-19. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| General Illness Attitude | baseline (1 day) + after 3 weeks + after 6 weeks + after 9 weeks + after 6 months + after 7 months + after 9 months + after 12 months | General illness attitudes are measured with 3 subscales (Worry about illness; Thanatophobia; Bodily preoccupations) of the German version of the Illness Attitude Scales (IAS) by Hiller & Rief (2004). 9 Items; values ranging from 1 to 5, higher scores indicate a worse outcome. |
| Media reporting | baseline (1 day) + after 3 weeks + after 6 weeks + after 9 weeks + after 6 months + after 7 months + after 9 months + after 12 months | Frequency, effects and formats of consumed media related to COVID-19 are measured with 5 self created items. |
| Self-efficacy and coping with COVID-19 | baseline (1 day) + after 3 weeks + after 6 weeks + after 9 weeks + after 6 months + after 7 months + after 9 months + after 12 months | Self-efficacy and coping with the COVID-19 pandemic are measured with 13 self created items. Values ranging from 1 to 6; higher scores indicate a better outcome (except inverted items). |
| Change in characteristics of COVID-19-related anxiety | baseline (1 day) + after 3 weeks + after 6 weeks + after 9 weeks + after 6 months + after 7 months + after 9 months + after 12 months | To investigate specific fears regarding the COVID-19 pandemic 9 self created items are used. Values ranging from 1 to 6, higher scores indicate a worse outcome. |
| Change in COVID-19-related anxiety symptoms | baseline (1 day) + after 3 weeks + after 6 weeks + after 9 weeks + after 6 months + after 7 months + after 9 months + after 12 months | Modified German version of the DSM-5 Severity-Measure-For-Specific-Phobia-Adult-Scale by Beesdo-Baum et al. (2014). 10 items, values ranging from 1 to 5, higher scores indicate a worse outcome. The Scale was adapted to anxiety symptoms related to COVID-19. |
| Ultra-brief screening scale for anxiety and depression | baseline (1 day) + after 3 weeks + after 6 weeks + after 9 weeks + after 6 months + after 7 months + after 9 months + after 12 months | To screen for general anxiety and depressive symptoms the German version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) by Löwe (2015) is used. 4 items; values ranging from 0 to 3, higher scores indicate a worse outcome. |
| Consequences of COVID-19 in the last three weeks. | baseline (1 day) + after 3 weeks + after 6 weeks + after 9 weeks + after 6 months + after 7 months + after 9 months + after 12 months | Personal consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic in the last three weeks are collected with five self-created items. |
Countries
Germany
Contacts
Primary ContactAntonia Bendau, M.Sc.Psych.
Backup ContactAndreas Ströhle, Prof.Dr.
Outcome results
None listed