The Somatosensory Perceptions of Individuals Living in Istanbul During The Covid-19 Pandemic Process
Özet
Aim: This study was planned to evaluate individuals’ somatosensory perceptions during the pandemic process. Subject and Method: The study used a descriptive and cross-sectional design and was carried out with the participation of 613 individuals who were aged between 18 and 65 and lived in Istanbul. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form and the Somatosensory Amplification Scale (SSAS). Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis H test, and Bonferroni correction were used for data analysis. Results: According to the findings, 69.3% of the participants were female, 53% had an undergraduate degree, and 12.4% had chronic diseases. The SSAS scores were statistically significantly higher in those who were female (Z=-6.028, p=0.000), had a chronic disease (Z=-2.760; p=0.006), were afraid that they/their family members would get infected with COVID-19 (Z=-4.220; p=0.000), had tested positive for COVID-19 (Z=-2.305; p=0.021), and had a relative who tested positive for COVID-19 (Z=-2.549; p=0.011) (p<0.05). Also, 84.3% of the participants stated that they were afraid they/their family members would be diagnosed with COVID-19. The examination of the risk factors affecting the participants’ somatosensory amplification status indicated that age (β= -0.088; p=0.038), sex (β= -0.232; p<0.001), presence of a chronic disease (β= -0.116; p<0.005), fear that they/ their family members would test positive for COVID-19 (β = -0.175; p<0.001), and being diagnosed with COVID-19 (β= -0.089; p=0.025) were negative risk factors Conclusion: This study revealed that individuals exaggerated their somatic sensations during the pandemic process. In addition, age, sex, the presence of chronic diseases, fear that they/their family members would be diagnosed with COVID-19, and getting a diagnosis of COVID-19 were found to be risk factors in terms of amplifying somatic sensations. It is believed that the results obtained from this study will be a guide in developing strategies and helpful approaches to support individuals in terms of psychosocial and psychosomatic perceptions during the pandemic process.