Open AccessPhysical and mental health outcomes including behavior and attitudes in people having social contacts with COVID-19 patients
Author(s) -
Zuo-Feng Xu,
Dexing Zhang,
Dong Xu,
Xue Li,
Yao Jie Xie,
Wen Sun,
Kam-Pui Lee,
Benjamin Hon Kei Yip,
Phoenix K. H. Mo,
Shuiyuan Xiao,
Samuel Yeung Shan Wong
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0245945
Subject(s) - snowball sampling , mental health , covid-19 , medicine , quality of life (healthcare) , social support , social distance , gerontology , psychology , clinical psychology , psychiatry , nursing , social psychology , disease , pathology , infectious disease (medical specialty)
The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infection has spread worldwide since late 2019. People who have social contacts with COVID-19 patients might be at higher risk of physical or mental health problems. This study investigated whether people who had social contacts with COVID-19 patients would have poorer physical or mental outcomes, and different attitudes and behaviors. Chinese adults were recruited to fill in an online survey using snowball sampling during 21 st -26 nd February 2020. Physical symptoms, psychological outcomes, quality of life, COVID-19 related attitudes, and behaviors were measured. The differences in the outcomes between participants who had COVID-19 social contacts and those who had not were analyzed. The survey included 1,447 non-infected eligible participants. Among those, 173 (12.0%) reported at least one confirmed/suspected case in their social contacts. In the multiple regression adjusted for demographic data, the presence of confirmed/suspected infection cases in one’s social contacts was significantly associated with poorer physical and mental outcomes, lower health-related quality of life, and different COVID-19 related attitudes and behaviors ( p <0.05). In conclusion, people who had social contacts with COVID-19 patients were at risk of adverse health outcomes. Future studies are needed to understand the long-term impacts. Similarly, strategies to improve health outcomes for these people are needed.