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Table 6 Factors associated with levels of fear of COVID-19 among the study population (based on FCV-19S score)

From: Factors associated with psychological distress, fear and coping strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia

Characteristics

High (score 22–35), n(%)

Low (score 7–21), n(%)

Unadjusted analyses

Adjusted analyses

p

OR

95% CIs

p

AOR

95% CIs

Total study participants

175

374

      

Age groups

162

339

      

 18–29 years

22 (13.6)

75 (22.1)

 

1

  

1

 

 30–59 years

131 (80.9)

233 (68.7)

0.014

1.92

1.14–3.23

0.011

2.29

1.21–4.35

 60+ years

9 (5.6)

31 (9.1)

0.982

0.99

0.41–2.39

0.551

1.37

0.49–3.84

Gender

174

374

      

 Male

61 (35.1)

145 (38.8)

 

1

  

1

 

 Female

113 (64.9)

229 (61.2)

0.404

1.17

0.81–1.71

0.052

1.56

1.00–2.45

Living status

174

371

      

 Live without family members (on your own/shared house/others)

29 (16.7)

95 (25.6)

 

1

  

1

 

 Live with family members (partner and/or children)

145 (83.3)

276 (74.4)

0.020

1.72

1.08–2.73

0.502

1.22

0.69–2.16

Born in Australia

175

374

      

 No

127 (72.6)

200 (53.5)

 

1

  

1

 

 Yes

48 (27.4)

174 (46.5)

0.000

0.43

0.29–0.64

0.000

0.35

0.21–0.58

Completed level of education

175

373

      

 Grade 1–12

19 (10.9)

50 (13.4)

 

1

  

1

 

 Trade/Certificate/Diploma

26 (14.9)

59 (15.8)

0.679

1.16

0.58–2.34

0.414

0.72

0.32–1.59

 Bachelor and above

130 (74.3)

264 (70.8)

0.372

1.30

0.74–2.29

0.129

0.58

0.29–1.17

Current employment condition

169

354

      

 Unemployed/Home duties

28 (16.6)

35 (9.9)

 

1

  

1

 

 Jobs affected by COVID-19 (lost job/working hours reduced/afraid of job loss)

40 (23.7)

42 (11.9)

0.604

1.19

0.62–2.30

0.517

1.28

0.6–2.69

 Have an income source (employed/Government benefits)

101 (59.8)

277 (78.2)

0.005

0.46

0.26–0.79

0.033

0.51

0.27–0.95

Perceived distress due to change of employment status

60

92

      

 A little to none

6 (10.0)

31 (33.7)

 

1

  

1

 

 Moderate to a great deal

54 (90.0)

61 (66.3)

0.002

4.57

1.77–11.8

0.011

4.14

1.39–12.4

Self-identification as a frontline or essential service worker

175

374

      

 No

113 (64.6)

202 (54.0)

 

1

  

1

 

 Yes

62 (35.4)

172 (46.0)

0.020

0.64

0.44–0.93

0.065

0.66

0.43–1.03

COVID-19 impacted financial situation

175

372

      

 No

60 (34.3)

169 (45.4)

 

1

  

1

 

 Yes

115 (65.7)

203 (54.6)

0.014

1.60

1.10–2.32

0.297

1.26

0.82–1.95

Co-morbidities

175

374

      

 No

91 (52.0)

184 (49.2)

 

1

  

1

 

 Psychiatric/Mental health issues

12 (6.9)

29 (7.8)

0.626

0.84

0.41–1.72

0.952

1.02

0.49–2.12

 Other co-morbidities*

72 (41.1)

161 (43.0)

0.598

0.90

0.62–1.32

0.698

1.09

0.69–1.72

Smoking

138

288

      

 Never smoker

117 (84.8)

254 (88.2)

 

1

  

1

 

 Ever smoker (Daily/Non-daily/Ex)

21 (15.2)

34 (11.8)

0.326

1.34

0.75–2.41

0.430

1.31

0.67–2.59

Increased smoking over the last 4 weeks

21

34

      

 No

12 (57.1)

22 (64.7)

 

1

  

1

 

 Yes

9 (42.9)

12 (35.3)

0.575

1.38

0.45–4.19

0.902

1.09

0.29–4.14

Current alcohol drinking (last 4 weeks)

174

374

      

 No

131 (75.3)

215 (57.5)

 

1

  

1

 

 Yes

43 (24.7)

159 (42.5)

0.000

0.44

0.30–0.66

0.002

0.45

0.27–0.74

Increased alcohol drinking over the last 4 weeks

41

158

      

 No

20 (48.8)

118 (74.7)

 

1

  

1

 

 Yes

21 (51.2)

40 (25.3)

0.002

3.10

1.52–6.30

0.003

3.64

1.54–8.58

Provided care to a family member/patient with known/suspected case of COVID-19

175

374

      

 No

144 (82.3)

308 (82.4)

 

1

  

1

 

 Yes

31 (17.7)

66 (17.6)

0.985

1.01

0.63–1.61

0.929

0.98

0.57–1.67

Healthcare service use in the last 4 weeks

175

374

      

 No

133 (76.0)

302 (80.7)

 

1

  

1

 

 Visited healthcare providers in person

21 (12.0)

43 (11.5)

0.718

1.11

0.63–1.94

0.410

1.52

0.56–4.15

 Telehealth consultation with healthcare providers/National helpline

21 (12.0)

29 (7.8)

0.103

1.64

0.90–2.99

0.163

3.21

0.62–16.5

Level of psychological distress (K10 categories)

174

373

      

 Low (score 10–15)

39 (22.4)

166 (44.5)

 

1

  

1

 

 Medium to Very high (score 16–50)

135 (77.6)

207 (55.5)

0.000

2.78

1.84–4.19

0.000

2.90

1.82–4.62

Level of coping (BRCS categories)

175

374

      

 Low resilient copers (score 4–13)

170 (97.1)

364 (97.3)

 

1

  

1

 

 Medium to high resilient copers (score 14–20)

5 (2.9)

10 (2.7)

0.902

1.07

0.36–3.18

0.953

0.96

0.28–3.32

Healthcare service use to overcome COVID-19 related stress in the last 4 weeks

175

374

      

 No

157 (89.7)

354 (94.7)

 

1

  

1

 

 Yes

18 (10.3)

20 (5.3)

0.037

2.03

1.04–3.94

0.002

3.54

1.57–7.99

  1. Adjusted for: age, gender, living status, born in Australia, education and employment
  2. * Cardiac diseases/Stroke/Hypertension/Hyperlipidaemia/Diabetes/Cancer/Chronic respiratory illness
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