scholarly journals A dataset for the perceived vulnerability to disease scale in Japan before the spread of COVID-19

F1000Research ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 334
Author(s):  
Yuki Yamada ◽  
Haoqin Xu ◽  
Kyoshiro Sasaki

The COVID-19 outbreak is a worldwide medical and epidemiological catastrophe, and the number of psychological studies concerning COVID-19 is growing daily. Such studies need baseline data from before the COVID-19 outbreak for comparison, but such datasets have not yet been accumulated and shared. Here, we provide a dataset on the perceived vulnerability to disease scale for 1382 Japanese participants obtained through an online survey conducted in 2018 that will be useful for comparison with current or post-COVID-19 perceived vulnerability to disease data.

F1000Research ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 334
Author(s):  
Yuki Yamada ◽  
Haoqin Xu ◽  
Kyoshiro Sasaki

The COVID-19 outbreak is a worldwide medical and epidemiological catastrophe, and the number of psychological studies concerning COVID-19 is growing daily. Such studies need baseline data from before the COVID-19 outbreak for comparison, but such datasets have not yet been accumulated and shared. Here, we provide a dataset on the perceived vulnerability to disease scale for 1382 Japanese participants obtained through an online survey conducted in 2018 that will be useful for comparison with current or post-COVID-19 perceived vulnerability to disease data.


Author(s):  
Ulrich Stangier ◽  
Schahryar Kananian ◽  
Johanna Schüller

AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic has called worldwide for strong governmental measures to contain its spread, associated with considerable psychological distress. This study aimed at screening a convenience sample in Germany during lockdown for perceived vulnerability to disease, knowledge about COVID-19, symptoms of depression and anxiety, and behavioral responses. In an online survey, 1358 participants completed the perceived vulnerability to disease scale (PVD), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-4), and questionnaires on knowledge about COVID-19 and self-perceived change in behaviors in response to COVID-19. Lower and upper quartiles of the PVD were used to classify individuals into low and high PVD. A confirmatory factor analysis supported three factors representing risk, preventive and adaptive behavior as behavioral responses to COVID-19 lockdown. A structural equation model showed that the score of the knowledge scale significantly predicted the self-reported increase in adaptive and preventive behavior. The score in the PVD-subscale Perceived Infectability predicted a self-reported increase in preventive behavior, whereas the Germ Aversion score predicted a self-reported increase in preventive and a decrease in risk behavior. The score in PHQ-4 predicted a higher score in the perceived infectability and germ aversion subscales, and a self-reported decrease in adaptive behavior. Low-, medium- and high-PVD groups reported distinct patterns of behavior, knowledge, and mental health symptoms. This study shows that perceived vulnerability to disease is closely linked to preventive behaviors and may enhance adaptation to COVID-19 pandemic.


Author(s):  
Schahryar Kananian ◽  
Samar Al-Sari ◽  
Ulrich Stangier

AbstractIn the face of the worldwide COVIV-19 pandemic, refugees represent a particularly vulnerable group with respect to access to health care and information regarding preventive behavior. In an online survey the Perceived Vulnerability to Disease Scale, self-reported changes in preventive and risk behaviors, knowledge about COVID-19, and psychopathological symptoms (PHQ-4) were assessed. The convenience sample consisted of n = 76 refugees (n = 45 Arabic speaking, n = 31 Farsi speaking refugees) and n = 76 German controls matched with respect to age and sex. Refugees reported a significantly larger fear of infection, significantly less knowledge about COVID-19, and a higher frequency of maladaptive behavior, as compared to the control group. This study shows that refugees are more vulnerable to fear of infection and maladaptive behaviors than controls. Culturally adapted, easily accessible education about COVID-19 may be beneficial in improving knowledge and preventive behaviors related to COVID-19.


SLEEP ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. A256-A256
Author(s):  
Rebecca Campbell ◽  
Jamie Walker ◽  
Anastasia Makhanova ◽  
Ivan Vargas

Abstract Introduction Individuals who report greater perceived vulnerability to disease (e.g., experience emotional discomfort to situations where pathogen transmission is likely) also have the tendency to endorse more anxiety. Insomnia is also associated with greater anxiety. This study assessed (1) whether perceived vulnerability to disease was associated with increased anxiety related to COVID-19 and (2) whether this association was moderated or mediated by insomnia symptoms. Methods 1199 primarily female (n = 845), white (n = 982) participants (mage = 30.52) completed an online survey including the Sleep Disorder Symptom Checklist- 25 (SDS-CL-25), Perceived Vulnerability to Disease (PVD) scale, and a rating of COVID-19 anxiety (scale = 0–100; m = 55.81, sd = 25.39). Insomnia symptoms were calculated using the sum of SDS-CL-25 items 3–6 (m = 7.55, sd = 3.58). The PVD subscales germ aversion (GA; m = 4.18, sd = 1.22) and perceived vulnerability to infection (PVI; m = 3.69, sd = 1.39) were also computed. Results Regressions were used to test if insomnia mediated the impact of GA and PVI on COVID-19 anxiety. The relations between COVID-19 anxiety and insomnia (b = 1.30, t(1197) = 6.47), GA (b =3.60, t(1197) = 6.09), and PVI (b =3.73, t(1197) = 7.20) were significant (p’s < .001). Mediation analyses using the mediation package in R (bootstrap estimation = 1000 samples) showed direct effects of GA (b = 3.26, 95% CI = 2.04 – 4.42, p < .001) and PVI (b = 3.16, 95% CI = 2.00 – 4.22, p < .001) and mediation effects of insomnia (b =.44, 95% CI = .19 - .73, p < .001; b =.58, 95% CI = .33 - .86, p < .001, respectively). According to the moderation analyses, the association between PVD and COVID-19 anxiety did not significantly vary at different levels of insomnia. Conclusion Results suggest insomnia symptoms partially mediate the relationship between perceived vulnerability to disease and COVID-19 anxiety. These associations are likely bidirectional, and therefore, more work in this area is needed, especially with regard to how improved sleep may attenuate risk factors for anxiety. Support (if any) K23HL141581 (PI: Vargas)


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. e0255598
Author(s):  
Matteo P. Lisi ◽  
Marina Scattolin ◽  
Martina Fusaro ◽  
Salvatore Maria Aglioti

Humans typically create and maintain social bonds through interactions that occur at close social distances. The interpersonal distance of at least 1 m recommended as a relevant measure for COVID-19 contagion containment requires a significant change in everyday behavior. In a web-based experimental study conducted during the first pandemic wave (mid-April 2020), we asked 242 participants to regulate their preferred distance towards confederates who did or did not wear protective masks and gloves and whose COVID-19 test results were positive, negative, or unknown. Information concerning dispositional factors (perceived vulnerability to disease, moral attitudes, and prosocial tendencies) and situational factors (perceived severity of the situation in the country, frequency of physical and virtual social contacts, and attitudes toward quarantine) that may modulate compliance with safety prescriptions was also acquired. A Bayesian analysis approach was adopted. Individual differences did not modulate interpersonal distance. We found strong evidence in favor of a reduction of interpersonal distance towards individuals wearing protective equipment and who tested negative to COVID-19. Importantly, shorter interpersonal distances were maintained towards confederates wearing protective gear, even when their COVID-19 test result was unknown or positive. This protective equipment-related regulation of interpersonal distance may reflect an underestimation of perceived vulnerability to infection; this perception must be discouraged when pursuing individual and collective health-safety measures.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph A Vitriol

Recent research on the behavioral immune system suggests that perceived vulnerability to disease is associated with greater ingroup preference, conformity, and support for established cultural practices. However, little of this research has looked at the implications of perceived vulnerability to disease for an orientation linked to many of the above outcomes: ideology. In two studies, we test the hypothesis that perceived vulnerability to disease should be associated with greater political conservatism. In Study 1, we find a relationship between perceived vulnerability to disease and increases in conservatism over time. In Study 2, we use data from the World Values Survey to demonstrate that perceived vulnerability to disease predicts a stronger preference for the political right in a large sample of respondents from a wide variety of nations. Together, these results suggest that the consequences of the behavioral immune system may extend to abstract identifications like ideology.


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