Weinberger-Litman Sarah L, Litman Leib, Rosen Zohn, Rosmarin David H, Rosenzweig Cheskie
Department of Psychology, Marymount Manhattan College, 221 East 71st St, New York, NY, 10021, USA.
Department of Psychology, Lander College, Flushing, NY, USA.
J Relig Health. 2020 Oct;59(5):2269-2282. doi: 10.1007/s10943-020-01064-x.
The current study examined anxiety and distress among members of the first community to be quarantined in the USA due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to being historically significant, the current sample was unusual in that those quarantined were all members of a Modern Orthodox Jewish community and were connected via religious institutions at which exposure may have occurred. We sought to explore the community and religious factors unique to this sample, as they relate to the psychological and public health impact of quarantine. Community organizations were trusted more than any other source of COVID-19-related information, including federal, state and other government agencies, including the CDC, WHO and media news sources. This was supported qualitatively with open-ended responses in which participants described the range of supports organized by community organizations. These included tangible needs (i.e., food delivery), social support, virtual religious services, and dissemination of COVID-19-related information. The overall levels of distress and anxiety were elevated and directly associated with what was reported to be largely inadequate and inconsistent health-related information received from local departments of health. In addition, the majority of participants felt that perception of or concern about future stigma related to a COVID-19 diagnosis or association of COVID-19 with the Jewish community was high and also significantly predicted distress and anxiety. The current study demonstrates the ways in which religious institutions can play a vital role in promoting the well-being of their constituents. During this unprecedented pandemic, public health authorities have an opportunity to form partnerships with religious institutions in the common interests of promoting health, relaying accurate information and supporting the psychosocial needs of community members, as well as protecting communities against stigma and discrimination.
本研究调查了美国首个因新冠疫情而被隔离社区成员的焦虑和痛苦状况。除了具有历史意义外，当前样本还很特别，因为被隔离者均为现代正统犹太社区的成员，且通过可能发生过接触的宗教机构相互联系。我们试图探究该样本所特有的社区和宗教因素，因为它们与隔离对心理和公共卫生的影响有关。社区组织比任何其他新冠相关信息来源更受信任，这些来源包括联邦、州和其他政府机构，如疾病控制与预防中心（CDC）、世界卫生组织（WHO）以及媒体新闻来源。这在定性研究中得到了支持，开放式回答中参与者描述了社区组织提供的一系列支持。这些支持包括实际需求（如送餐）、社会支持、虚拟宗教服务以及新冠相关信息的传播。痛苦和焦虑的总体水平有所升高，且与据报道从当地卫生部门获得的大量不充分且不一致的健康相关信息直接相关。此外，大多数参与者认为对新冠诊断或新冠与犹太社区关联的未来污名化的认知或担忧程度很高，这也显著预测了痛苦和焦虑。本研究展示了宗教机构在促进其成员福祉方面可以发挥的重要作用。在这场史无前例的疫情期间，公共卫生当局有机会与宗教机构建立伙伴关系，以促进健康、传递准确信息、支持社区成员的心理社会需求以及保护社区免受污名化和歧视等共同利益为目标。
