Associations of the perceived benefits and harms of COVID-19 with confidence in coping with the pandemic and mental health symptoms: a population-based survey in Hong Kong

Ying Yao; Wei Jie Gong; Agnes Yuen Kwan Lai; Yongda Socrates Wu; Shirley Man Man Sit; Man Ping Wang; Sai Yin Ho; Tai Hing Lam

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2023.1175085

Associations of the perceived benefits and harms of COVID-19 with confidence in coping with the pandemic and mental health symptoms: a population-based survey in Hong Kong

Front Public Health. 2023 Jun 20:11:1175085. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1175085. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Ying Yao¹, Wei Jie Gong², Agnes Yuen Kwan Lai¹, Yongda Socrates Wu¹, Shirley Man Man Sit¹, Man Ping Wang¹, Sai Yin Ho³, Tai Hing Lam³

Affiliations

¹ School of Nursing, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China.
² Department of General Practice, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
³ School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China.

Abstract

Introduction: Both perceived benefits and harms of COVID-19 have been reported, but whether they affect confidence in coping with the pandemic and mental health remains uncertain.

Objective: To examine the association of perceived benefits and harms of COVID-19 with confidence in coping with the pandemic and mental health symptoms.

Methods: A population-based survey was conducted on 7,535 Hong Kong adults from 22 February to 23 March 2021, when the 4^th wave of COVID-19 was under control. Information on sociodemographic characteristics, perceived benefits (10 options) and harms (12 options) of COVID-19, confidence in coping with the pandemic (range 0-10), loneliness (range 0-4), anxiety (General Anxiety Disorders-2, range 0-6) and depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-2, range 0-6) was collected. Latent profile analysis was used to identify the combined patterns of perceived benefits and harms of COVID-19. The associations of combined patterns with confidence in coping with COVID-19, loneliness, anxiety, and depression were examined using linear regression (β coefficient) adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics.

Results: The combined patterns of perceived benefits and harms were classified into benefit (n = 4,338, 59.3%), harm (n = 995, 14.0%), and ambivalent (n = 2,202, 26.7%) groups. Compared with the ambivalent group, the benefit group had a significantly higher level of confidence (adjusted β 0.46, 95% CI 0.33 to 0.58), and lower levels of loneliness (-0.35, -0.40 to-0.29), anxiety (-0.67, 0.76 to-0.59), and depression (-0.65, -0.73 to-0.57). The harm group had a significantly lower level of confidence (-0.35, -0.53 to-0.16), and higher levels of loneliness (0.38, 0.30 to 0.45), anxiety (0.84, 0.73 to 0.96), and depression (0.95, 0.84 to 1.07).

Conclusion: Perceived greater benefit from COVID-19 was associated with better mental health and stronger confidence in coping with the pandemic.

Keywords: COVID-19; confidence; coping; mental health; perceived benefit; perceived harm.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adaptation, Psychological
Adult
COVID-19* / epidemiology
Hong Kong / epidemiology
Humans
Mental Health*
Pandemics