Autenrieth Lara K, Benke Christoph, Asselmann Eva, Pané-Farré Christiane A
Department of Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Experimental Psychopathology and Psychotherapy, Philipps University of Marburg, Gutenbergstraße 18, Marburg 35032, Germany.
Faculty of Health, HMU Health and Medical University, Olympischer Weg 1, Potsdam 14471, Germany.
J Affect Disord Rep. 2023 Apr;12:100491. doi: 10.1016/j.jadr.2023.100491. Epub 2023 Jan 26.
Individuals with increased risk of being in contact with COVID-19 cases at work have been reported to suffer from higher fear of infection and associated mental health problems. The present study examines whether this risk is further increased by higher anxiety sensitivity (AS, i.e., fear of bodily symptoms such as breathlessness, which also are core symptoms of COVID-19) that is also known to be associated with an increased risk of psychopathology. In spring 2020, 783 German health care and social workers participated in a cross-sectional online-survey, in which anxiety sensitivity, depression, anxiety, health anxiety, fear of a COVID-19 infection as well as panic symptoms were assessed. Of these participants, 28.7% affirmed contact with COVID-19 cases, which was associated with greater fear of the virus. Individuals with high AS reported more severe anxiety, health anxiety, depressive symptoms, as well as incident and recurrent panic symptoms. Moreover, the risk association of exposure to COVID-19 cases at work with health anxiety, general anxiety, and panic symptoms was further increased by higher levels of AS. These findings suggest that especially employees with contact to COVID-19 cases who also are high in AS might profit from targeted interventions to prevent excessive fear and associated mental health problems.
据报道，在工作中接触新冠病例风险增加的个体患有更高的感染恐惧及相关心理健康问题。本研究探讨这种风险是否会因更高的焦虑敏感性（即对诸如呼吸急促等身体症状的恐惧，而这些症状也是新冠的核心症状）而进一步增加，焦虑敏感性也已知与精神病理学风险增加有关。2020年春季，783名德国医护人员和社会工作者参与了一项横断面在线调查，其中评估了焦虑敏感性、抑郁、焦虑、健康焦虑、对新冠感染的恐惧以及惊恐症状。在这些参与者中，28.7%确认接触过新冠病例，这与对病毒的更大恐惧有关。高焦虑敏感性个体报告了更严重的焦虑、健康焦虑、抑郁症状以及偶发和复发性惊恐症状。此外，工作中接触新冠病例与健康焦虑、一般焦虑和惊恐症状之间的风险关联因更高水平的焦虑敏感性而进一步增加。这些发现表明，尤其是那些接触新冠病例且焦虑敏感性高的员工可能会从有针对性的干预措施中受益，以预防过度恐惧及相关心理健康问题。
