Fear in general populations: A cross-sectional study on perceived fear of common diseases, COVID-19, life events, and environmental threats in 30 countries.

Li, J; Pandian, V; Fong, DYT; Lok, KYW; Wong, JYH; Man Ho, M; Choi, EPH; Davidson, PM; Duan, W; Tarrant, M; Lee, JJ; Lin, C-C; Akingbade, O; Alabdulwahhab, KM; Ahmad, MS; Alboraie, M; Alzahrani, MA; Bilimale, AS; Boonpatcharanon, S; Byiringiro, S; Hasan, MKC; Schettini, LC; Corzo, W; De Leon, JM; De Leon, AS; Deek, H; Efficace, F; El Nayal, MA; El-Raey, F; Ensaldo-Carrasco, E; Escotorin, P; Fadodun, OA; Fawole, IO; Goh, Y-SS; Irawan, D; Khan, NE; Koirala, B; Krishna, A; Kwok, C; Le, TT; Leal, DG; Lezana-Fernández, MÁ; Manirambona, E; Mantoani, LC; Meneses-González, F; Mohamed, IE; Mukeshimana, M; Nguyen, CTM; Nguyen, HTT; Nguyen, KT; Nguyen, ST; Nurumal, MS; Nzabonimana, A; Omer, NAMA; Ogungbe, O; Poon, ACY; Reséndiz-Rodriguez, A; Puang-Ngern, B; Sagun, CG; Shaik, RA; Shankar, NG; Sommer, K; Toro, E; Tran, HTH; Urgel, EL; Uwiringiyimana, E; Vanichbuncha, T; Youssef, N

Fear in general populations: A cross-sectional study on perceived fear of common diseases, COVID-19, life events, and environmental threats in 30 countries.

Li, J Pandian, V Fong, DYT Lok, KYW Wong, JYH Man Ho, M Choi, EPH Davidson, PM Duan, W Tarrant, M Lee, JJ Lin, C-C Akingbade, O Alabdulwahhab, KM Ahmad, MS Alboraie, M Alzahrani, MA Bilimale, AS Boonpatcharanon, S Byiringiro, S Hasan, MKC Schettini, LC Corzo, W De Leon, JM De Leon, AS Deek, H Efficace, F El Nayal, MA El-Raey, F Ensaldo-Carrasco, E Escotorin, P Fadodun, OA Fawole, IO Goh, Y-SS Irawan, D Khan, NE Koirala, B Krishna, A Kwok, C Le, TT Leal, DG Lezana-Fernández, MÁ Manirambona, E Mantoani, LC Meneses-González, F Mohamed, IE Mukeshimana, M Nguyen, CTM Nguyen, HTT Nguyen, KT Nguyen, ST Nurumal, MS Nzabonimana, A Omer, NAMA Ogungbe, O Poon, ACY Reséndiz-Rodriguez, A Puang-Ngern, B Sagun, CG Shaik, RA Shankar, NG Sommer, K Toro, E Tran, HTH Urgel, EL Uwiringiyimana, E Vanichbuncha, T Youssef, N

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Publisher:: INT SOC GLOBAL HEALTH
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: J Glob Health, 2024, 14, pp. 05019
Issue Date:: 2024-06-07

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Li, J
dc.contributor.author	Pandian, V
dc.contributor.author	Fong, DYT
dc.contributor.author	Lok, KYW
dc.contributor.author	Wong, JYH
dc.contributor.author	Man Ho, M
dc.contributor.author	Choi, EPH
dc.contributor.author	Davidson, PM
dc.contributor.author	Duan, W
dc.contributor.author	Tarrant, M
dc.contributor.author	Lee, JJ
dc.contributor.author	Lin, C-C
dc.contributor.author	Akingbade, O
dc.contributor.author	Alabdulwahhab, KM
dc.contributor.author	Ahmad, MS
dc.contributor.author	Alboraie, M
dc.contributor.author	Alzahrani, MA
dc.contributor.author	Bilimale, AS
dc.contributor.author	Boonpatcharanon, S
dc.contributor.author	Byiringiro, S
dc.contributor.author	Hasan, MKC
dc.contributor.author	Schettini, LC
dc.contributor.author	Corzo, W
dc.contributor.author	De Leon, JM
dc.contributor.author	De Leon, AS
dc.contributor.author	Deek, H
dc.contributor.author	Efficace, F
dc.contributor.author	El Nayal, MA
dc.contributor.author	El-Raey, F
dc.contributor.author	Ensaldo-Carrasco, E
dc.contributor.author	Escotorin, P
dc.contributor.author	Fadodun, OA
dc.contributor.author	Fawole, IO
dc.contributor.author	Goh, Y-SS
dc.contributor.author	Irawan, D
dc.contributor.author	Khan, NE
dc.contributor.author	Koirala, B
dc.contributor.author	Krishna, A
dc.contributor.author	Kwok, C
dc.contributor.author	Le, TT
dc.contributor.author	Leal, DG
dc.contributor.author	Lezana-Fernández, MÁ
dc.contributor.author	Manirambona, E
dc.contributor.author	Mantoani, LC
dc.contributor.author	Meneses-González, F
dc.contributor.author	Mohamed, IE
dc.contributor.author	Mukeshimana, M
dc.contributor.author	Nguyen, CTM
dc.contributor.author	Nguyen, HTT
dc.contributor.author	Nguyen, KT
dc.contributor.author	Nguyen, ST
dc.contributor.author	Nurumal, MS
dc.contributor.author	Nzabonimana, A
dc.contributor.author	Omer, NAMA
dc.contributor.author	Ogungbe, O
dc.contributor.author	Poon, ACY
dc.contributor.author	Reséndiz-Rodriguez, A
dc.contributor.author	Puang-Ngern, B
dc.contributor.author	Sagun, CG
dc.contributor.author	Shaik, RA
dc.contributor.author	Shankar, NG
dc.contributor.author	Sommer, K
dc.contributor.author	Toro, E
dc.contributor.author	Tran, HTH
dc.contributor.author	Urgel, EL
dc.contributor.author	Uwiringiyimana, E
dc.contributor.author	Vanichbuncha, T
dc.contributor.author	Youssef, N
dc.date.accessioned	2024-09-26T01:35:33Z
dc.date.available	2024-09-26T01:35:33Z
dc.date.issued	2024-06-07
dc.identifier.citation	J Glob Health, 2024, 14, pp. 05019
dc.identifier.issn	2047-2978
dc.identifier.issn	2047-2986
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/180988
dc.description.abstract	BACKGROUND: In this study, we assessed the general population's fears towards various diseases and events, aiming to inform public health strategies that balance health-seeking behaviours. METHODS: We surveyed adults from 30 countries across all World Health Organization (WHO) regions between July 2020 and August 2021. Participants rated their fear of 11 factors on an 11-point Likert scale. We stratified the data by age and gender and examined variations across countries and regions through multidimensional preference analysis. RESULTS: Of the 16 512 adult participants, 62.7% (n = 10 351) were women. The most feared factor was the loss of family members, reported by 4232 participants (25.9%), followed by cancer (n = 2248, 13.7%) and stroke (n = 1416, 8.7%). The highest weighted fear scores were for loss of family members (mean (x̄) = 7.46, standard deviation (SD) = 3.04), cancer (x̄ = 7.00, SD = 3.09), and stroke (x̄ = 6.61, SD = 3.24). The least feared factors included animals/insects (x̄ = 3.72, SD = 2.96), loss of a mobile phone (x̄ = 4.27, SD = 2.98), and social isolation (x̄ = 4.83, SD = 3.13). Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was the sixth most feared factor (x̄ = 6.23, SD = 2.92). Multidimensional preference analyses showed distinct fears of COVID-19 and job loss in Australia and Burundi. The other countries primarily feared loss of family members, cancer, stroke, and heart attacks; this ranking was consistent across WHO regions, economic levels, and COVID-19 severity levels. CONCLUSIONS: Fear of family loss can improve public health messaging, highlighting the need for bereavement support and the prevention of early death-causing diseases. Addressing cancer fears is crucial to encouraging the use of preventive services. Fear of non-communicable diseases remains high during health emergencies. Top fears require more resources and countries with similar concerns should collaborate internationally for effective fear management.
dc.format	Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	INT SOC GLOBAL HEALTH
dc.relation.ispartof	J Glob Health
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.7189/jogh.14.05019
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess
dc.subject	1117 Public Health and Health Services
dc.subject.classification	4206 Public health
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	COVID-19
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Fear
dc.subject.mesh	Male
dc.subject.mesh	Cross-Sectional Studies
dc.subject.mesh	Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Middle Aged
dc.subject.mesh	Aged
dc.subject.mesh	Young Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Life Change Events
dc.subject.mesh	SARS-CoV-2
dc.subject.mesh	Surveys and Questionnaires
dc.subject.mesh	Adolescent
dc.subject.mesh	Global Health
dc.subject.mesh	Neoplasms
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Neoplasms
dc.subject.mesh	Cross-Sectional Studies
dc.subject.mesh	Fear
dc.subject.mesh	Life Change Events
dc.subject.mesh	Adolescent
dc.subject.mesh	Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Aged
dc.subject.mesh	Middle Aged
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Male
dc.subject.mesh	Young Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Global Health
dc.subject.mesh	Surveys and Questionnaires
dc.subject.mesh	COVID-19
dc.subject.mesh	SARS-CoV-2
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	COVID-19
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Fear
dc.subject.mesh	Male
dc.subject.mesh	Cross-Sectional Studies
dc.subject.mesh	Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Middle Aged
dc.subject.mesh	Aged
dc.subject.mesh	Young Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Life Change Events
dc.subject.mesh	SARS-CoV-2
dc.subject.mesh	Surveys and Questionnaires
dc.subject.mesh	Adolescent
dc.subject.mesh	Global Health
dc.subject.mesh	Neoplasms
dc.title	Fear in general populations: A cross-sectional study on perceived fear of common diseases, COVID-19, life events, and environmental threats in 30 countries.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	14
utslib.location.activity	Scotland
utslib.for	1117 Public Health and Health Services
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health/Research Centres/IMPACCT
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health/Research Centres
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access	*
dc.date.updated	2024-09-26T01:35:31Z
pubs.publication-status	Published online
pubs.volume	14

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: In this study, we assessed the general population's fears towards various diseases and events, aiming to inform public health strategies that balance health-seeking behaviours. METHODS: We surveyed adults from 30 countries across all World Health Organization (WHO) regions between July 2020 and August 2021. Participants rated their fear of 11 factors on an 11-point Likert scale. We stratified the data by age and gender and examined variations across countries and regions through multidimensional preference analysis. RESULTS: Of the 16 512 adult participants, 62.7% (n = 10 351) were women. The most feared factor was the loss of family members, reported by 4232 participants (25.9%), followed by cancer (n = 2248, 13.7%) and stroke (n = 1416, 8.7%). The highest weighted fear scores were for loss of family members (mean (x̄) = 7.46, standard deviation (SD) = 3.04), cancer (x̄ = 7.00, SD = 3.09), and stroke (x̄ = 6.61, SD = 3.24). The least feared factors included animals/insects (x̄ = 3.72, SD = 2.96), loss of a mobile phone (x̄ = 4.27, SD = 2.98), and social isolation (x̄ = 4.83, SD = 3.13). Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was the sixth most feared factor (x̄ = 6.23, SD = 2.92). Multidimensional preference analyses showed distinct fears of COVID-19 and job loss in Australia and Burundi. The other countries primarily feared loss of family members, cancer, stroke, and heart attacks; this ranking was consistent across WHO regions, economic levels, and COVID-19 severity levels. CONCLUSIONS: Fear of family loss can improve public health messaging, highlighting the need for bereavement support and the prevention of early death-causing diseases. Addressing cancer fears is crucial to encouraging the use of preventive services. Fear of non-communicable diseases remains high during health emergencies. Top fears require more resources and countries with similar concerns should collaborate internationally for effective fear management.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/180988