Media Exposure Related to the PTSS During COVID-19 Pandemic: The Mediating Role of Risk Perception

Frontiers in Psychiatry

Farooq Ahmed¹  Shuang Ma²  Jing Guo³  Ling Jiang⁴  Qinian Chen⁴  Xiaohua Wang⁴  Yiqing Wang⁴  Chengbin Liu⁵  Muhammad Shahid⁶ 

[1] Department of Anthropology, Quaid-I-Azam University Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan;School of Management, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China;School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China;School of Social Development and Public Policy, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China;School of Sociology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China;World Health Organization, Balochistan, Pakistan;

关键词: media exposure;    PTSS;    risk perception;    COVID-19;    public health;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpsyt.2021.654548

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Objectives: The objectives of this study are to assess the relationship between media exposure and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and to highlight the underlying mechanisms mediated by risk perception.Methods: This survey was conducted online in China from February 1st to February 10th, 2020. A total of 2,858 Chinese citizens aged ≥18 years from 31 provinces and autonomous regions were recruited to participate in a cross-sectional study. Self-report questionnaires were used to assess media exposure, PTSS, and risk perception.Results: The prevalence of respondents with heightened PTSS scores was 22.2%. After controlling for covariates, media exposure (more than five times a day) was significantly and positively associated with a high level of PTSS (B = 4.11, p < 0.001), and risk perception (worry and severity) significantly mediated the relationship between media exposure and PTSS (all 95% CIs did not include 0).Conclusions: Based on these findings, the frequency of media exposure was associated with PTSS. Risk perception (worry and severity) mediated the relationship between media exposure and PTSS. The mental health, particularly PTSS, of the general population should be closely monitored and “infodemics” should be combatted while addressing the COVID-19 outbreak; cognitive interventions may be promising.

【 授权许可】

Unknown