IMPACT OF MASS MEDIA ON THE MENTAL HEALTH OF INDIVIDUALS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

Abstract

Background & Aim: Exposure to mass media inuences our beliefs, social, economic and political stance and to some extent our personal relationships. This is a descriptive study about the impact of these on individual behavior and relation with mental health problems if any. Methodology : Data collection method for this observational study was via an online survey form (google forms) by convenience sampling. For a target population of 18-65 year old age groups, Indian citizens with a sample size of 273. Psychological aspects were assessed using Public Health Questionnaire - Social Anxiety and Depressive symptoms (PHQ-SADS) and Corona Anxiety Scales. Spearman correlation was used to explore relations between different components. Result: A statistically signicant positive correlation was found between PHQ-15 scores overall and time spent with entertainment media sources daily (r=0.349, p<0.01) as well as with PHQ-9 scores(r=0.316, p<0.01). Values of statistical signicance indicating positive correlation were obtained when PHQ-15 scores of females and time spent with entertainment media sources daily were compared (r=0.38, p<0.01), similarly with GAD-7 scores in females (r=0.32, p<0.01) . A signicant positive correlation was found between GAD-7 scores and time spent with news media sources daily in the 46-55 age group (r=0.36, p<0.01). However, anxiety on the Corona anxiety scale was much less and unrelated to PHQ and GAD. Conclusion: This study found a positive correlation between psychological morbidity and duration of exposure to mass media.Thus it was apparent that people with anxiety and/ or depression spend more time on mass media. Time spent on media was unrelated to coronavirus related anxiety as was thought of, but more related to their poor mental health, which was there perhaps, even before the onset of pandemic. Further studies can explore this domain.