Associations between COVID-19 Risk Perceptions and Mental Health, Wellbeing, and Risk Behaviours

Maddy L Dyer; Hannah M Sallis; Jasmine N Khouja; Sarah Dryhurst; Marcus R Munafò

doi:10.1080/13669877.2022.2127849

Associations between COVID-19 Risk Perceptions and Mental Health, Wellbeing, and Risk Behaviours

J Risk Res. 2022 Dec 2;25(11-12):1372-1394. doi: 10.1080/13669877.2022.2127849. Epub 2022 Nov 12.

Authors

Maddy L Dyer^{1

2}, Hannah M Sallis^{1

2

3}, Jasmine N Khouja^{1

2}, Sarah Dryhurst⁴, Marcus R Munafò^{1

2

5}

Affiliations

¹ School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
² Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
³ Centre for Academic Mental Health, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
⁴ Winton Centre for Risk and Evidence Communication, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
⁵ National Institute for Health Research Bristol Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, UK.

Abstract

Background: Mental health has worsened, and substance use has increased for some people during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Some cross-sectional studies suggest that higher COVID-19 risk perceptions are related to poorer mental health and greater risk behaviours (e.g., substance use). However, longitudinal and genetic data are needed to help to reduce the likelihood of reverse causality.

Methods: We used cross-sectional, longitudinal, and polygenic risk score (PRS; for anxiety, depression, wellbeing) data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). We examined cross-sectional and prospective longitudinal associations between COVID-19 risk perceptions (i.e., cognitive, affective, self, other, and a combined 'holistic' measure) and mental health (i.e., anxiety, depression), wellbeing, and risk behaviours. Pandemic (April-July 2020) and pre-pandemic (2003-2017) data (ns = 233-5,115) were included.

Results: Higher COVID-19 risk perceptions (holistic) were associated with anxiety (OR 2.78, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.20 to 3.52), depression (OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.24 to 2.18), low wellbeing (OR 1.76, 95% CI 1.45 to 2.13), and increased alcohol use (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.24 to 1.72). Higher COVID-19 risk perceptions were also associated with self-isolating given a suspected COVID-19 infection (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.13 to 2.68), and less face-to-face contact (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.70 to 0.98) and physical contact (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.68 to 1.00). Pre-pandemic anxiety (OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.29 to 2.09) and low wellbeing (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.15 to 1.74) were associated with higher COVID-19 risk perceptions. The depression PRS (b 0.21, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.40) and wellbeing PRS (b -0.29, 95% CI -0.48 to -0.09) were associated with higher and lower COVID-19 risk perceptions, respectively.

Conclusions: Poorer mental health and wellbeing are associated with higher COVID-19 risk perceptions, and longitudinal and genetic data suggest that they may play a causal role in COVID-19 risk perceptions.

Keywords: ALSPAC; coronavirus; mental health; risk behaviour; risk perception.

Abstract

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