PLoS ONE (Jan 2023)

Somatic burden in Russia during the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • Alena Zolotareva,
  • Anna Khegay,
  • Elena Voevodina,
  • Igor Kritsky,
  • Roman Ibragimov,
  • Nina Nizovskih,
  • Vsevolod Konstantinov,
  • Arina Malenova,
  • Irina Belasheva,
  • Natalia Khodyreva,
  • Vladimir Preobrazhensky,
  • Kristina Azanova,
  • Lilia Sarapultseva,
  • Almira Galimova,
  • Inna Atamanova,
  • Anastasia Kulik,
  • Yulia Neyaskina,
  • Maksim Lapshin,
  • Marina Mamonova,
  • Ruslan Kadyrov,
  • Ekaterina Volkova,
  • Viktoria Drachkova,
  • Andrey Seryy,
  • Natalia Kosheleva,
  • Evgeny Osin

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0282345
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 18, no. 3
p. e0282345

Abstract

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Somatic burden has become one of the most common psychological reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide. This study examined the prevalence of somatic burden, latent profiles, and associated factors of somatic symptoms during the pandemic in a large sample of Russians. We used cross-sectional data from 10,205 Russians collected during October-December, 2021. Prevalence of somatic burden was assessed with the Somatic Symptom Scale-8. Latent profiles of somatic burden were identified using latent profile analysis. Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine demographic, socioeconomic, and psychological associated factors of somatic burden. Over one-third (37%) of the Russians reported being somatised. We selected the three-latent profile solution with high somatic burden profile (16%), medium somatic burden profile (37%), and low somatic burden profile (47%). The associated factors of greater somatic burden were female gender, lower education, history of COVID-19 disease, refusing vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 infection, poorer self-rated health, greater fear of COVID-19 pandemic, and living in regions with higher excess mortality. Overall, this study contributes to knowledge about the prevalence, latent profiles, and associated factors of somatic burden during the COVID-19 pandemic. It can be useful to researchers in psychosomatic medicine and practitioners in the health care system.