Online survey comparing coping responses to SARS-CoV-2 by people with and without existing health conditions in the UK

Hewitt, Rachael Marie, Pattinson, Rachael ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3145-3710, Daniel, Rhian, Carrier, Judith ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2657-2280, Sanders, Oliver and Bundy, Christine ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5981-3984 2022. Online survey comparing coping responses to SARS-CoV-2 by people with and without existing health conditions in the UK. BMJ Open 12 (2) , e051575. 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-051575

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Abstract

Objectives To investigate the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on self-reported mood, coping and health behaviours of people living with existing health conditions in the UK to understand how to improve coping responses to the threat of SARS-CoV-2. Design Quantitative design using a cross-sectional survey. Setting Online survey in the UK. Participants UK adults (18+ years) were eligible to participate. A total of 9110 people participated. Of these, 4377 (48%) reported at least one existing health condition, 874 (10%) reported having two or more existing conditions, and 715 (8%) reported having an existing mental health condition. Primary and secondary outcome measures Multivariable linear regression and sequential multiple mediation analysis were used to estimate differences in average scores for active and avoidant coping response scores due to pre-existing health conditions, and to investigate the extent to which these differences are explained by differences in perceptions, beliefs, concerns and mood. Results People with pre-existing physical (+1.11 higher; 95% CI 0.88 to 1.34) and especially mental health conditions (3.06 higher; 95% CI 2.65 to 3.48) reported poorer health and used more avoidant coping compared with healthy participants. Under some strong untestable assumptions, we estimate that experiencing low mood or concern related to SARS-CoV-2 mostly explained the relationship between existing health conditions and avoidant coping. Conclusion Psychological support and interventions including behaviour change are required to mitigate the psychological burden of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and increase autonomy in people with and without pre-existing conditions during this highly uncertain time. Psychologists are well placed to support clinicians and people with existing health conditions to minimise the psychological impact of SARS-CoV-2, in order to alleviate the subsequent strain on healthcare services.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Published Online
Status:	Published
Schools:	Healthcare Sciences Medicine
Additional Information:	This is an open access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license
Publisher:	BMJ Publishing Group
ISSN:	2044-6055
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	14 February 2022
Date of Acceptance:	3 December 2021
Last Modified:	05 Jul 2023 18:51
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/147447

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