- The retrospective study cannot establish any causation
- Sample was non-random (snowball-sampling)
- self-report scales tend to be associated with higher estimates of psychopathology

Smith College

A study used an online cross-sectional survey to determine the prevalence of probable PTSD and the possible effect of the type and amount of media exposure on probable PTSD. 603 responses were recorded (74.0% females, mean age=29.2 ±10.4 years). They found that 33.0% of participants had scores more than 33 (threshold cut-off) on the Impact of Event Scale-Revised scale, and the younger participants particularly impacted, with avoidance being the most common appearing symptom. Gender (OR=25.95, p<.001), personal psychiatric history OR=7.48, p=.008), COVID-19 exposure (OR=16.48, p<.001), daily time spent on news and events related to COVID-19 on media (OR=17.02, p<.001), and COVID-19-related resource deprivation (OR=10.09, p<.001) were found to be related to the diagnosis of probable PTSD. A multivariate regression model was used to eliminate confounding variables, and they found that gender (OR=0.34; p<.001), hearing or discussing with another person the details of a person's illness or death due to COVID-19 (OR=1.53; p=.035), being not able to communicate with loved ones (OR=1.51; p=.031), difficulty obtaining personal supplies (OR=2.63; p=.003), total time spent on news and events related to COVID-19 on media per day (OR=0.63; p=.017), and being exposed to photos or narratives or other details about burial of COVID-19 Victims (OR=1.65; p=.011) was associated with probable PTSD.


Prevalence and predictors of PTSD during the COVID-19 pandemic: Findings from a Tunisian community sample

Fekih-Romdhane, F., Ghrissi, F., Abbassi, B., Cherif, W. and Cheour, M., 2020. Prevalence and predictors of PTSD during the COVID-19 pandemic: Findings from a Tunisian community sample. Psychiatry Research, 290, p.113131.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7255192/

Prevalence and predictors of PTSD during the COVID-19 pandemic: Findings from a Tunisian community sample


Limitation of the study

In logistic model, only the exposure to burial pictures or narratives or other details about burial of COVID-19 victims on media. A probable explanation is the impact of Covid-19 on many important religious practices for burial. Cremation is forbidden. The dead must first be bathed in scented water, then shrouded in white clothing. The prayer to Allah should be performed by all members of the community, and attendance at funerals is considered a communal duty for enough people to show up. However, all of these practices are prohibited during the pandemic for fear of spreading the virus further.

Cultural Impact

WHO recommends to:
- Resist information overload from various different sources
- Check reliable and trusted sources at specific times during the day, once or twice

Reliable sources include:
- WHO
- CDC
- Health care providers

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