Stress associated with the covid-19 pandemic has been considerable, whether in terms of the health or financial implications of the virus. New research from the University of Connecticut explores how Americans are coping with the mental and emotional implications of the pandemic.
“Almost overnight, the rapid emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States and subsequent state and federal prevention measures dramatically altered daily behavior,” the researchers say. “This unique, early study and our planned future work will let us see how Americans navigate all of these changes, and how their response to this stress evolves over time.”
The researchers quizzed over 1,000 people living across the United States. Three main categories of stress emerged:
- Stress related to the virus
- Stress related to the change in routine
- Sress related to the financial fallout
The survey revealed that Americans have a high level of stress from Covid, but that some groups are more susceptible than others. Stress would most commonly occur from either reading or hearing about the danger posed by the virus, with uncertainty surrounding the measures required to reduce the spread of the virus also a frequent cause of stress.
While fears directly related to the virus itself were common, so too were concerns about the financial consequences of the pandemic, especially around loss of job security and income.
Coping measures
The survey revealed a number of measures undertaken to help cope with covid-related stress, including distraction, active coping, and the seeking of emotional social support. Perhaps unsurprisingly, those with greatest financial instability typically employed the least helpful coping strategies, including substance abuse and behavioral disengagement.
“Distraction or avoidance is usually considered to be an unproductive coping strategy for most challenging situations and can lead to negative outcomes,” the researchers say. “But in this instance where people don’t have much control over making the disease itself better, we can do small things to help ourselves and others – seek connections through telemediated emotional support, for example – and find ways to let the time pass. We’ll see in the long run how those strategies help people’s mental health.”
The survey also revealed that people were generally abiding by the social distancing guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with the overwhelming majority of people staying home as much as possible, and maintaining the recommended distance from others when venturing out. Of those not adhering to the guidelines, this risky behavior was strongest among young men.
The demographics of stress
The team plan to continue studying the topic, and aim to understand the role demographics play in the formation of, and coping with, stress as a result of covid-19. They hope that their findings will help both the medical profession and policymakers develop effective interventions to help people buffer the mental health challenges of the pandemic.
“As we focus on developing treatments and vaccines, it is critical that we also understand the social aspects of this virus,” the researchers conclude. “Understanding how Americans experience and respond to COVID-19 stressors and how this varies by socio-demographic characteristics can help to more effectively target prevention measures across various groups.”
