Sex Differences between Medical Students in the Assessment of the Fear of COVID-19

Maria del Carmen Trapp, Brandt J. Wiskur, Joy H. Suh, Michael W. Brand, Katrin G. Kuhn and Julio Rojas
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Maria del Carmen Trapp: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73117, USA
Brandt J. Wiskur: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73117, USA
Joy H. Suh: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73117, USA
Michael W. Brand: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73117, USA
Katrin G. Kuhn: Department of Biostatistics & Epidemiology, Hudson College of Public Health, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73117, USA
Julio Rojas: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73117, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 6, 1-7

Abstract: Background: Differing expressions of the fear of COVID-19 between men and women can potentially increase both immediate and long-term physical health risks. We predicted that women students would express greater fear of COVID-19. Methods: We used an Internet-delivered Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) to assess fear among men ( n = 100) and women ( n = 272) from a larger population of academic medical center members ( n = 1761). Sex differences in emotional and physical symptoms were assessed as subcategories within fear scores. Results: Women reported greater fear of COVID-19 than men ( p < 0.001). Women reported greater emotional fear ( p < 0.001) on specific scale items (thinking of COVID-19, watching news stories about COVID-19, and losing sleep due to fear of contracting COVID-19). Discussion/Conclusions: These results provide a better understanding of how fear of COVID-19 can differ based on sex and how that fear may be expressed differently through emotional and physical symptoms. This information will inform academic health centers of COVID-19 prevention and management policies that may include a gender-specific focus.

Keywords: COVID-19; gender role; fear; anxiety; students (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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