An analysis of the differences in anxiety and educational background among patients isolating due to COVID-19

Peng Sun^1#, Duo-Jiao Fan^2#*, Tao He³, Xiao-Kun Zhang³, Yan-Jie Kang², Heng-Zhou Li¹, Guang Wang⁴, Fei Li², Yang Zhang⁴ 

¹Department of Emergency Medicine, Baoding Second Hospital, Baoding 071000, China; - ²Department of Science and Education, Baoding Second Hospital, Baoding 071000, China - ³Department of Tuberculosis, Tangshan Infectious Disease Hospital, Tangshan 063000, China - ⁴Department of Medical branch, Baoding Second Hospital, Baoding 071000, China

Introduction: The present study intends to explore the relationship between anxiety and the educational background of patients in two isolation wards on day 7 of isolation during the epidemic of COVID-19. 

Materials and methods: Between January 24 and March 5, 2020, 32 patients admitted to the isolation ward of the Infectious Diseases Department of Baoding Second Hospital with suspected COVID-19, and 71 patients in isolation in Tangshan Infectious Disease Hospital with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 were enrolled as the main research subjects, but the actual number of cases analyzed in the present study was 97. Their anxiety was measured by an anxiety scale (SAS scale) on day seven of their isolation. A t-test was used to compare the anxiety score data of the two groups, combined with a scatter plot analysis. P<0.01 was considered statistically significant. 

Results: There was a total of 97 patients, in two isolation wards, in the study, of whom 47 were male and 50 female. Nineteen of them had a degree above college level, while seventy-eight of them only had a college degree or lower. The results showed that there existed a correlation between the anxiety of patients in isolation during the COVID-19 epidemic and educational background, and that those with a degree above college level were more likely to develop anxiety. 

Conclusion: During the quarantine period, COVID-19 patients with a degree above college level were more likely to develop anxiety, and the degree of anxiety was more noticeable, while those with a lower level of education were relatively less anxious.