COVID-19 and You: Impact & Recovery Study

Citation

Dawson A, Brown T, Pemble C & Douglas E (2022) COVID-19 and You: Impact & Recovery Study [A literature review to inform the development of a UK specific instrument to measure COVID-19 fear]. UKRI. https://www.hagis.scot/reports

Abstract
▪ Ten studies reported on nine unique instruments that have been developed and published in English language to measure fear of COVID-19, from the beginning of the pandemic to April 2021   ▪ Seven studies developed and validated unique new instruments for measuring COVID-19 fear, two of which used existing COVID-19 fear scales to validate the new instrument ▪ Instruments vary significantly in terms of length (items) and scope (factors) ▪ Study quality was mixed; more detailed reporting of the methods used in the development of the scale items would have improved transparency and therefore quality ▪ Instruments aimed to measure various psychological states potentially related to COVID-19, including anxiety, depression, stress, cognitions, phobias, personal risk of infection, and coping behaviours ▪ Measures of general and COVID-specific anxiety and depression are positively correlated with COVID19 fear ▪ COVID-19 fear may be moderated by certain sociodemographic factors such as age and gender, and pre-existing physical and psychological health conditions ▪ None of the studies proposed a threshold for subclinical/clinical fear of COVID-19 in a general population sample ▪ The majority of identified studies developed and validated unique instruments ▪ The instruments included in this rapid review focus on worries and fears related to the domain of health. ▪ By identifying and describing key characteristics of existing COVID-19 scales we help other researchers to decide which instrument might be the most suited to their needs in future studies of the effects of COVID-19 fear 

Keywords
Ageing; Covid-19 Fear measure; survey

People

Dr Alison Dawson

Senior Research Fellow, Faculty of Social Sciences

Dr Elaine Douglas

Associate Professor, Dementia and Ageing

Dr Cate Pemble

Research Fellow (Qualitative), Dementia and Ageing