Illness Perceptions of COVID-19 in Europe: Predictors, Impacts and Temporal Evolution

David  Dias Neto; Ana Nunes  da Silva; Magda  Roberto; Jeļena  Ļubenko; Marios  Constantinou; Christiana  Nicolaou; Demetris  Lamnisos; Stefan  Höfer; Giovambattista  Presti; Valeria  Squatrito; Vasilis S. Vasiliou; Louise  McHugh; Jean-Louis  Monestès; Adriana  Baban; Javier  Alvarez-Galvez; Marisa  Paesz-Blarrina; Francisco   Montestinos; Sonsoles Valdivia  Salas; Dorottya  Őri; Raimo  Lappalainen; Bartosz  Kleszcz; Andrew  Gloster; Maria Karekla; Angelos P. Kassianos

Illness Perceptions of COVID-19 in Europe: Predictors, Impacts and Temporal Evolution

David Dias Neto, Ana Nunes da Silva, Magda Roberto, Jeļena Ļubenko, Marios Constantinou, Christiana Nicolaou, Demetris Lamnisos, Stefan Höfer, Giovambattista Presti, Valeria Squatrito, Vasilis S. Vasiliou, Louise McHugh, Jean-Louis Monestès, Adriana Baban, Javier Alvarez-Galvez, Marisa Paesz-Blarrina, Francisco Montestinos, Sonsoles Valdivia Salas, Dorottya Őri, Raimo LappalainenBartosz Kleszcz, Andrew Gloster, Maria Karekla, Angelos P. Kassianos

Department of Psychology

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Abstract

Objective: Illness perceptions (IP) are important predictors of emotional and behavioral responses in many diseases. The current study aims to investigate the COVID-19-related IP throughout Europe. The specific goals are to understand the temporal development, identify predictors (within demographics and contact with COVID-19) and examine the impacts of IP on perceived stress and preventive behaviors.

Methods: This was a time-series-cross-section study of 7,032 participants from 16 European countries using multilevel modeling from April to June 2020. IP were measured with the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire. Temporal patterns were observed considering the date of participation and the date recoded to account the epidemiological evolution of each country. The outcomes considered were perceived stress and COVID-19 preventive behaviors.

Results: There were significant trends, over time, for several IP, suggesting a small decrease in negativity in the perception of COVID-19 in the community. Age, gender, and education level related to some, but not all, IP. Considering the self-regulation model, perceptions consistently predicted general stress and were less consistently related to preventive behaviors. Country showed no effect in the predictive model, suggesting that national differences may have little relevance for IP, in this context.

Conclusion: The present study provides a comprehensive picture of COVID-19 IP in Europe in an early stage of the pandemic. The results shed light on the process of IP formation with implications for health-related outcomes and their evolution.

Original language	English
Journal	Frontiers in Psychology
Volume	12
Publication status	Published - 21 Apr 2021

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Dias Neto, D., da Silva, A. N., Roberto, M., Ļubenko, J., Constantinou, M., Nicolaou, C., Lamnisos, D., Höfer, S., Presti, G., Squatrito, V., Vasiliou, V. S., McHugh, L., Monestès, J.-L., Baban, A., Alvarez-Galvez, J., Paesz-Blarrina, M., Montestinos, F., Salas, S. V., Őri, D., ... Kassianos, A. P. (2021). Illness Perceptions of COVID-19 in Europe: Predictors, Impacts and Temporal Evolution. Frontiers in Psychology, 12.

@article{5c984be8e7644660a66bfc641913a8f1,

title = "Illness Perceptions of COVID-19 in Europe: Predictors, Impacts and Temporal Evolution",

abstract = "Objective: Illness perceptions (IP) are important predictors of emotional and behavioral responses in many diseases. The current study aims to investigate the COVID-19-related IP throughout Europe. The specific goals are to understand the temporal development, identify predictors (within demographics and contact with COVID-19) and examine the impacts of IP on perceived stress and preventive behaviors.Methods: This was a time-series-cross-section study of 7,032 participants from 16 European countries using multilevel modeling from April to June 2020. IP were measured with the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire. Temporal patterns were observed considering the date of participation and the date recoded to account the epidemiological evolution of each country. The outcomes considered were perceived stress and COVID-19 preventive behaviors.Results: There were significant trends, over time, for several IP, suggesting a small decrease in negativity in the perception of COVID-19 in the community. Age, gender, and education level related to some, but not all, IP. Considering the self-regulation model, perceptions consistently predicted general stress and were less consistently related to preventive behaviors. Country showed no effect in the predictive model, suggesting that national differences may have little relevance for IP, in this context.Conclusion: The present study provides a comprehensive picture of COVID-19 IP in Europe in an early stage of the pandemic. The results shed light on the process of IP formation with implications for health-related outcomes and their evolution.",

author = "{Dias Neto}, David and {da Silva}, {Ana Nunes} and Magda Roberto and Jeļena Ļubenko and Marios Constantinou and Christiana Nicolaou and Demetris Lamnisos and Stefan H{\"o}fer and Giovambattista Presti and Valeria Squatrito and Vasiliou, {Vasilis S.} and Louise McHugh and Jean-Louis Monest{\`e}s and Adriana Baban and Javier Alvarez-Galvez and Marisa Paesz-Blarrina and Francisco Montestinos and Salas, {Sonsoles Valdivia} and Dorottya {\H O}ri and Raimo Lappalainen and Bartosz Kleszcz and Andrew Gloster and Maria Karekla and Kassianos, {Angelos P.}",

year = "2021",

month = apr,

day = "21",

language = "English",

volume = "12",

journal = "Frontiers in Psychology",

issn = "1664-1078",

publisher = "Frontiers Media S.A.",

}

Dias Neto, D, da Silva, AN, Roberto, M, Ļubenko, J, Constantinou, M, Nicolaou, C, Lamnisos, D, Höfer, S, Presti, G, Squatrito, V, Vasiliou, VS, McHugh, L, Monestès, J-L, Baban, A, Alvarez-Galvez, J, Paesz-Blarrina, M, Montestinos, F, Salas, SV, Őri, D, Lappalainen, R, Kleszcz, B, Gloster, A, Karekla, M & Kassianos, AP 2021, 'Illness Perceptions of COVID-19 in Europe: Predictors, Impacts and Temporal Evolution', Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 12.

TY - JOUR

T1 - Illness Perceptions of COVID-19 in Europe: Predictors, Impacts and Temporal Evolution

AU - Dias Neto, David

AU - da Silva, Ana Nunes

AU - Roberto, Magda

AU - Ļubenko, Jeļena

AU - Constantinou, Marios

AU - Nicolaou, Christiana

AU - Lamnisos, Demetris

AU - Höfer, Stefan

AU - Presti, Giovambattista

AU - Squatrito, Valeria

AU - Vasiliou, Vasilis S.

AU - McHugh, Louise

AU - Monestès, Jean-Louis

AU - Baban, Adriana

AU - Alvarez-Galvez, Javier

AU - Paesz-Blarrina, Marisa

AU - Montestinos, Francisco

AU - Salas, Sonsoles Valdivia

AU - Őri, Dorottya

AU - Lappalainen, Raimo

AU - Kleszcz, Bartosz

AU - Gloster, Andrew

AU - Karekla, Maria

AU - Kassianos, Angelos P.

PY - 2021/4/21

Y1 - 2021/4/21

N2 - Objective: Illness perceptions (IP) are important predictors of emotional and behavioral responses in many diseases. The current study aims to investigate the COVID-19-related IP throughout Europe. The specific goals are to understand the temporal development, identify predictors (within demographics and contact with COVID-19) and examine the impacts of IP on perceived stress and preventive behaviors.Methods: This was a time-series-cross-section study of 7,032 participants from 16 European countries using multilevel modeling from April to June 2020. IP were measured with the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire. Temporal patterns were observed considering the date of participation and the date recoded to account the epidemiological evolution of each country. The outcomes considered were perceived stress and COVID-19 preventive behaviors.Results: There were significant trends, over time, for several IP, suggesting a small decrease in negativity in the perception of COVID-19 in the community. Age, gender, and education level related to some, but not all, IP. Considering the self-regulation model, perceptions consistently predicted general stress and were less consistently related to preventive behaviors. Country showed no effect in the predictive model, suggesting that national differences may have little relevance for IP, in this context.Conclusion: The present study provides a comprehensive picture of COVID-19 IP in Europe in an early stage of the pandemic. The results shed light on the process of IP formation with implications for health-related outcomes and their evolution.

AB - Objective: Illness perceptions (IP) are important predictors of emotional and behavioral responses in many diseases. The current study aims to investigate the COVID-19-related IP throughout Europe. The specific goals are to understand the temporal development, identify predictors (within demographics and contact with COVID-19) and examine the impacts of IP on perceived stress and preventive behaviors.Methods: This was a time-series-cross-section study of 7,032 participants from 16 European countries using multilevel modeling from April to June 2020. IP were measured with the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire. Temporal patterns were observed considering the date of participation and the date recoded to account the epidemiological evolution of each country. The outcomes considered were perceived stress and COVID-19 preventive behaviors.Results: There were significant trends, over time, for several IP, suggesting a small decrease in negativity in the perception of COVID-19 in the community. Age, gender, and education level related to some, but not all, IP. Considering the self-regulation model, perceptions consistently predicted general stress and were less consistently related to preventive behaviors. Country showed no effect in the predictive model, suggesting that national differences may have little relevance for IP, in this context.Conclusion: The present study provides a comprehensive picture of COVID-19 IP in Europe in an early stage of the pandemic. The results shed light on the process of IP formation with implications for health-related outcomes and their evolution.

M3 - Article

SN - 1664-1078

VL - 12

JO - Frontiers in Psychology

JF - Frontiers in Psychology

ER -