Page 77 - IJPS-9-3

International Journal of
Population Studies Social contact and coronavirus anxiety

level of anxiety among women as compared to men. pandemic was used to measure the coronavirus/COVID-19
The previous studies have reported that the younger risk perception. This self-assessment scale measured
population suffered from higher levels of anxiety during the risk perception on a five-point Likert-type scale with
COVID-19 pandemic (Das & Pal, 2021; Verma & Mishra, 0 = “not at all worried” to 4 = “very worried.” The scale
2020). However, Nikčević & Spada (2020) observed no measured the risk perception of own/self and risk
correlation of age and gender with COVID-19 anxiety perception associated with other individuals. Four items
syndrome. While these studies present mixed results, we measured the risk associated with oneself and two items
believe sociodemographics play a key role in predicting measured risk associated with other individuals. A sample
CA during the pandemic. Moreover, the intervening effect question of risk associated with self includes, “How
of SCC19 on CA has not been explored in India. worried are you personally about the following issues at
present? – Coronavirus/COVID-19” and an example of
Hence, the present study attempted to examine the CA a question to assess the perceived risk associated with
within the context of sociodemographic characteristics (age others include, “How likely do you think it is that your
and gender) and whether SCC19 has an intervening effect friends and family in the country you are currently living
on the relationship between age, gender, and CA. Further, in will be directly affected by the following in the next
the study explored the similarities and/or differences in 6 months? – Catching the coronavirus/COVID-19.” The
risk perception and CA among the general population and reliability of the scale (Cronbach’s alpha) was 0.73.
frontline hospital nurses.
Coronavirus anxiety was measured using a five-item
2. Data and methods Corona Anxiety Scale (CAS) developed by Lee (2020). The
scale used a five-point scale ranging from 0 = “not at all”
2.1. Participants and procedures
to 4 = “nearly every day over the past 2 weeks.” A sample
We collected two sets of sample data – one sample was item, for example, includes “I had trouble falling or staying
collected from the general public and the other one from asleep because I was thinking about the coronavirus.” The
among the frontline hospital nurses – to study their risk internal consistency of the scale was 0.85.
perception and CA. During the time of the pandemic, To measure the SCC19, we asked the participants to
the health-care professionals, especially the nurses, answer a specific question, “Has anyone from your family,
were probably the most affected due to their working relatives, or close friends been infected with COVID-19?”
environment and closeness to COVID-19 patients. The response to the question was either a “Yes” or a “No.”
Hence, we included hospital nurses to compare their
risk perception and CA with the general population. We For the demographics, we collected gender information:
employed convenience sampling-based online survey 1 = Male, 2 = Female, and 3 = Others. Because the data were
technique to recruit participants from the general public collected from adults, the survey included four age groups:
and among the hospital nurses based on voluntary and 1 = 25 years or younger, 2 = 26 – 40 years, 3 = 41 – 60 years,
anonymous participation. The online survey was preferred and 4 = 61 years or older.
over the paper-and-pencil format due to the prevailing 3. Results
pandemic. Moreover, the online survey has the advantages
of efficiency and cost (Nayak & Narayan, 2019), which 3.1. Descriptive statistics and independent sample
can hardly be achieved with the paper-and-pencil format. t-test
Using the online survey, we collected a total of 776 sample Of the 776 individuals analyzed, 550 of them were from
data of which 550 individuals were from the general public the general public and 226 of them were hospital nurses.
and 226 individuals from among the frontline hospital The overall sample comprised 373 males (48.1%) and
nurses. The data were collected on a pan-India basis in 403 females (51.9%). The general public included 346 male
the 1 week of November 2020. The 776 participants and 204 female participants. However, the nursing sample
st
included 373 males (48.1%) and 403 females (51.9%). All (n = 226) had a higher proportion of female participants
the participants were aged above 18 years. Aside from (male = 27, female = 199). Of the total sample (n = 776),
sociodemographic data such as age and gender, we also 266 individuals were aged 25 years or younger (34.3%),
collected details regarding SCC19 for analyzing its impact 281 individuals aged between 26 to 40 years (36.2%), 213
on CA in the study participants. of them aged between 41 to 60 years (27.4%), and 16 of
them aged 61 years or older (2.1%). Since only 2.1% of the
2.2. Measures
sample were aged above 61 years, this minority age group
A six-item scale developed by Dryhurst et al. (2020) was combined with the age group of 41 – 60 years, giving
to measure the risk perception during the COVID-19 229 individuals who were labeled 41 years or older (29.5%).

Volume 9 Issue 3 (2023) 71 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.1211