Sociological Analysis of Population Anxiety in the Covid-19

Pandemic Era

M. S. Gotovkina

and A. A. Solonenko

Dmitrovsky branch of the Astrakhan State Technical University, Rybnoe, Russia

Keywords: Pandemic, Covid 19, Coronavirus, Anxiety, Depression, Vaccination.

Abstract: The article analyzes the level of anxiety of the population. The sociological survey took place in October of

2021. The study method was anonymous questioning on the Internet using specially created tools in Google

forms. N = 107 respondents were interviewed in the study. The findings were compared with data from a

similar study a year ago. As a result of a comparative analysis, the main factors that increase the risk of

occurrence and development of anxiety and depression were identified. The study provides a correlation

between the level of anxiety of respondents and their attitude to vaccination. The attitude of respondents to

compliance with the norms of personal protection and prevention of COVID-19 was also determined. A

correlation was found between the level of anxiety of respondents and their interest in studying the flow of

media information about the coronavirus.

1 INTRODUCTION

More than a year ago, the whole world plunged into

the era of the global crisis associated with the

pandemic of the new unknown virus COVID-19. The

consequences of the spread of a new type of disease

are still not fully understood. Of course, the pandemic

has had a significant impact and continues to strongly

affect all systems of society: from the economy to

health care. As noted by A.N. Kuryukin, COVID-19

continues to kill people and bring suffering to people,

it changes the life of society as a whole so much that

what is happening becomes something more than just

a public health or national health crisis, it is an

economic, humanitarian and social crisis. The

ongoing pandemic has a particularly negative impact

on the mental health of the population. A constant

increase in morbidity, an increase in mortality,

imposed social restrictions lead to an increase in the

level of anxiety among the population.

Scientists consider psychopathological

manifestations of anxiety in the era of a pandemic to

be such symptoms as increased nervousness with a

sense of imminent impending danger, irritation and

anger, nightmares and insomnia, including

heterothematic fears such as getting sick and dying.

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5615-5261

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3857-9516

An analysis of empirical data shows that the problem

of anxiety has become one of the key ones in an

epidemic situation, since among the many challenges

that people face in a new social context, the main

thing was the maintenance of calm and absence of

panic. To date, the factors affecting the level of

anxiety of the population in the era of a pandemic,

including vaccination of the population against the

COVID-19 virus, have not been sufficiently studied.

Empirical studies regarding vaccination have not yet

been carried out.

2 STUDY METHODS

In order to determine the level of anxiety of the

population, an anonymous survey was conducted on

the Internet using Google-forms. study Instrument -

Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)

developed in 1983 by А. Siegmond and R. Snight. It

is known that this scale has a high level of

discriminant validity in determining the level of

depression and anxiety. The toolkit also included

questions about the attitude to vaccination,

compliance with hygiene and sanitary standards, and

others. N = 107 respondents took part in the survey.

Gotovkina, M. and Solonenko, A.

Sociological Analysis of Population Anxiety in the Covid-19 Pandemic Era.

DOI: 10.5220/0011118700003439

In Proceedings of the 2nd International Scientiﬁc and Practical Conference "COVID-19: Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals" (RTCOV 2021), pages 249-253

ISBN: 978-989-758-617-0

249

The survey was conducted in October of 2021. There

were no age or gender restrictions. The data obtained

during the questionnaire were analyzed using

statistical methods, the confidence interval with the

determination of average values. Wherein, p <0.05

was taken as the level of statistical significance.

3 STUDY RESULTS

As a result of the analysis of the obtained data on the

HADS scale, it became obvious that the interviewed

respondents feel rather calm. The average value of the

level of anxiety is 5.75, and the level of depression is

4.07. It shall be noted that overestimated indicators of

anxiety were identified only in 15 % of all

respondents who participated in the survey, and

depression was identified only in 7 % of cases.

Wherein, none of the interviewed respondents had

clinically expressed anxiety or depression. This is a

fairly good indicator in comparison with similar data

of the last year. Therefore, the level of anxiety

decreased by 2 points, and depression — by 2.3. Such

a decrease indicates the continuing mental adaptation

of the population to the peculiarities of life in the era

of the coronavirus pandemic. In this regard, one

cannot but agree with scientists who believe that an

emotionally stressful situation that has existed for a

long time has led to the fact that people with a normal

and high level of adaptation began to perceive this

situation as "familiar", which can explain the gradual

decrease in anxiety.

On average, respondents rated their fear of

contracting a new coronavirus infection at 5.5 points

on a ten-point scale. This indicator is slightly higher

than a year ago (4.86 points). Moreover, among those

who are afraid of getting sick, there are more

representatives of the middle age group (from 35 to

55 years old). This increase is due to an increase in

the incidence in general and, accordingly, an increase

in the number of patients in the social environment of

the respondents.

The level of anxiety of the population is

undoubtedly influenced by the media, providing more

and more reports on the number of cases and deaths,

new restrictions, and etc. So, according to the results

of the survey, only 9.3 % (10 people) are “not at all

interested” in media information about the

coronavirus, 42.1 % (45 people) are “practically not

interested”. Fully interested in all aspects of the

pandemic 18.7 % (20 people) and "sufficiently

interested" 29.9 % (32 people). Therefore, interest in

media reports regarding the COVID-19 pandemic

was almost evenly distributed. Wherein, respondents

interested in media information on this topic showed

more pronounced anxiety and anxiety, and among

respondents who avoid news about COVID-19, the

percentage of respondents with a normal level of

anxiety/depression is higher. The researchers note

that the increase in anxiety and mental disorders is

influenced by the excessive emphasis by the media on

pandemics and the inconsistency of information from

different sources, which, in turn, provokes people's

mistrust of its reliability.

Of course, the level of citizens' anxiety is also

affected by the drop in their incomes, which, together

with growing inflation, leads to a significant decrease

in the level and quality of life of the population. So,

only 35 % (38 people) do not notice a change in their

financial situation in connection with the pandemic.

Almost the same number of respondents, 34.6 % (37

people), noted that their situation has become worse

due to the pandemic. Another 26 % (28 people) of the

respondents had a much lower income. Therefore,

most of the respondents are experiencing financial

difficulties in connection with the pandemic.

Wherein, there is a correlation between the level of

anxiety and financial situation. So, 79 % of those who

have it worse during the pandemic have a high level

of anxiety.

The respondents were also asked about their

assessment of the level of anxiety in society as a

whole in connection with the pandemic. Therefore,

21.5 % of respondents (23 people) noted a very high

level of social anxiety, 38.3 % (41 people) indicated

a fairly high level. A moderate level of anxiety was

indicated by 29.9 % of respondents (32 people). The

data obtained demonstrate the correlation between the

level of one's own anxiety and the subjective

assessment of the psychoemotional state of the people

around. On average, the presence of sick people

among the close environment (and there cannot be

such, given the significant increase in the incidence)

increases the perception of COVID-19 as a real threat

and more often leads to greater control over the

spread of the pandemic and, accordingly, an increase

in anxiety. Wherein, when the respondents were

asked to rate their fear of contracting a new

coronavirus infection, 10.3 % (11 people) answered

that they were afraid of this "more than anything

else", and 15.9 % (17 people) absolutely not be afraid

that this happen. Wherein, a significant part of the

respondents — 21.5 % (23 people) — rated their

level of fear as medium (by five points), and in

general, opinions were equally divided between high

and low levels of fear of getting sick. This distribution

also indicates an increase in the mental adaptation of

the population to living conditions in the era of

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(RTCOV )

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pandemic.

Another factor causing an increased level of

anxiety among the population is the risk of

introducing quarantine measures associated with self-

isolation. Self-isolation is considered a forced and

necessary measure by 39.3 % of the respondents

(42 people). 31.8 % of respondents (34 people)

perceive self-isolation as an opportunity to usefully

spend time at home. 29 % of respondents (31 people)

answered that this is an unjustified measure. As the

researchers note, the greatest anxiety during the

period of self-isolation is caused in descending order:

limited opportunities for entertainment, inability to

spend time with friends; difficulties with playing

sports and hobbies; restrictions in study/work.

It is undeniable that one of the most significant,

but least studied anxiety factors in the era of a

pandemic is the campaign to vaccinate the

population. 63.6 % (68 people) noted the legitimacy

of the introduction of measures for compulsory

vaccination of the population against the new type of

virus COVID-19. The survey also asked about the

health safety of the vaccine. Here a paradox can be

noted: the majority, 59.8 % (64 respondents), of the

respondents answered that did not consider

vaccination safe for themselves.

Wherein, the level of anxiety is higher among

those surveyed who believe that vaccination

measures are necessary than among those who do not.

In the responses of the respondents, there is a

correlation between the unsafe vaccination and the

level of anxiety. Wherein, respondents who consider

vaccination unsafe for their health note its necessity.

It shall also be noted that the majority of

respondents tend to follow all the recommendations

of Rospotrebnadzor. 50.5 % of the respondents

(54 people) named compliance with all sanitary

standards as their priority, and said that they do not

always adhere to the standards, but from "case to

case" — 46.7% of the respondents (50 people).

4 RESULT DISCUSSION

In general, anxiety in the psychological dictionary is

defined as "an individual psychological feature that

manifests itself in a person's tendency to frequent and

intense experiences of anxiety, as well as in a low

threshold for its occurrence". As I.N. Tartakovskaya

rightly noted, the social situation in the era of a

pandemic is characterized by a high level of

uncertainty, i.e. “Situations with an unknown

outcome”. This circumstance also leads to the

accumulation of stress among citizens.

Sociologists who have studied the consequences

of the spread of COVID-19 point to a number of

popular complaints from citizens: emotional

problems, fear, anxiety, depression, sleep

disturbances, feelings of helplessness, depression and

apathy. In the population of countries in which the

number of infected is especially high, there is a surge

in mental disorders, including symptoms of post-

traumatic stress: a feeling of loneliness, anxiety,

severe emotional destabilization, exacerbation of pre-

existing fears and the emergence of new ones.

As noted, public anxiety is influenced by the

campaign to vaccinate the population. According to

the GOGOV website, at the beginning of this

campaign, the number of vaccinated people was quite

small, which indicates a low level of public

confidence in the vaccine at the time of its creation.

Moreover, it is paradoxical that at the beginning of

vaccination the registration of those wishing to be

vaccinated with the domestic vaccine "Sputnik" in

paid clinics for 1,850 rubles was much denser than in

the state polyclinic, where the same vaccine was

administered free of charge.

The graph shows that the peak of vaccination fell

on the summer of this year, when there was a

significant increase in cases. This, in the first place,

was facilitated by a wide media campaign to promote

vaccination. Currently, the number of vaccinated

people is less than half compared to the summer

period, although autumn is traditionally considered

the peak of acute respiratory viral infections. Such

statistics indicate a low level of public confidence in

the vaccine. This is confirmed by the survey data,

where the majority spoke in favor of the need for

vaccination, however, at the same time indicated its

unsafe for their health. However, the increase in the

number of vaccinated citizens suggests that

vaccination is becoming a part of social reality.

Beyond vaccinations, COVID-19 tests are

becoming a reality as well. So, one of the recent issues

of The British Journal of Sociology was completely

devoted to a new direction in the study of society —

the sociology of the test [12]. Scientists point out that

although testing is an established social form, its role

in society and everyday life is expanding. In the

current pandemic situation, the test has literally

become an integral part of social reality. One of the

authors of the magazine Jonathan Bach called testing

an element of social management. The possibility of

receiving certain social benefits only with a COVID-

19 test is also an additional risk that increases the

level of anxiety among the population. In general, the

factors influencing the attitude towards vaccination,

as well as the problems of the sociology of the test in

connection with the coronavirus, are of significant

interest for future scientific research.

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Figure 1: Pace of COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign.

5 CONCLUSIONS

In the era of a pandemic humanity faced with a deep

crisis of all systems, which had an impact on the

mental health of the population. According to the

results of the conducted study, the level of anxiety

and other mental disorders in society has increased.

At the beginning of the pandemic, the level of

anxiety and stress in the population was higher than

at present, which indicates an adaptation period of

stress in the population in general. However, there are

slightly more people feeling fear for their health in the

face of the pandemic than a year ago.

An additional factor contributing to increased

levels of anxiety is media coverage of the pandemic.

The majority of the respondents noted that the society

as a whole is quite alarmed by the current events.

In the course of the study, it was determined that

half of the respondents surveyed had a worsening

financial situation during a pandemic, which, in turn,

contributed to the accumulation of stress and an

increase in anxiety. However, self-isolation does not

frighten the respondents, the majority considers it a

forced and necessary measure. Wherein, the majority

of respondents reported strict adherence to all norms

recommended by Rospotrebnadzor for the prevention

of coronavirus infection.

During the study, it became obvious that the

population is distrustful of the vaccination campaign,

as they consider the vaccine unsafe for their health.

However, it also supports universal vaccination

measures.

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