Do the Anxiety of Individuals Affect their Perceptions and Attitudes towards the Covid-19 Outbreak?

Abstract

This study is planned to determine the anxiety levels of individuals and their perception and attitude levels for the Covid-19 pandemic during the pandemic process and to examine the effect of anxiety on perception and attitude levels towards the Covid-19 pandemic. The data of the study were collected with the Assessment Scale for the Perceptions and Attitudes towards the Covid-19 Pandemic and the Beck Anxiety Scale. This is a descriptive cross-sectional type study, and it was conducted with 707 individuals living in the society using the random sampling method. Individuals' mean anxiety scores were found to be low, and a positive relationship was found between anxiety levels and causes perception and avoidance behaviors and a negative relationship with the disease perception. According to the results of multiple regression analysis, it was found that the anxiety variable had a positive predictive effect on the perception of causes and avoidance behaviors. A clear understanding of the severity and nature of the relationship between people's perceptions and attitudes towards the COVID-19 pandemic and psychosocial problems is necessary to develop health policies that will prevent possible problems. Therefore, it will be useful both in practice and theory to evaluate the perceptions and attitudes towards the pandemic and examine the obtained results in terms of anxiety, depression, or interpersonal relations.

Keywords

• society
• covid-19
• anxiety
• perception
• attitude