The Relationship between COVID-19 Phobia and Health Cognitions and Psychosocial Factors

Abstract

Objective: The study aimed to determine the levels of corona-phobia experienced by individuals in a broad population representative of Turkish society, and the correlation with health cognitions and psychosocial factors. Material and Method: This descriptive, cross-sectional, and correlational study was conducted with 1620 participants who lived in different regions of Turkey. Data were collected using an information form, the COVID-19 Phobia Scale (C19P-S), and the Health Cognitions Questionnaire. Results: The mean age of the participants was 34.13±10.90 and 62.8% of them were female. The mean score of COVID-19 phobia score was 51.84±13.53 and health cognition was 60.17±9.61. COVID-19 phobia was significantly related to cognitions of difficulty coping with illness, medical services adequacy, the awfulness of illness and the likelihood of illness. The factors influencing the C19P-S of participants were, being female, having a chronic illness, having too much impact on daily life, difficulty coping with illness, awfulness of illness, and likelihood of illness. Conclusion: It is recommended to plan interventions to increase public awareness of COVID-19 and to reduce corona-phobia. These interventions should be especially about the negative impact of corona-phobia on people with a chronic illness and women’s mental health.