Community cohesion during the first peak of the COVID-19 pandemic: A social antidote to health anxiety and stress.

ABSTRACT: Social support gained through community ties has been pivotal in dealing with stressful events. A cross-sectional community sample (N = 2,329) was gathered to assess community cohesion buffering against heath anxiety and perceived stress during the first peak of the pandemic in the UK, using structural equation modeling analyses. Community cohesion acted as a protective mechanism against both health anxiety and stress during the first national lockdown. A strong positive association was also found between health anxiety and stress. Stress and health anxiety scores peaked in the first weeks of the imposed quarantine; as the lockdown was extended, participants reported lower stress, health anxiety and community cohesion scores. The reduction of community cohesion scores was greater fo

SUBMITTER: Svensson SJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8237056 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature