COVID-19: anxiety of trait and status in a selected population of Argentina in a context of extended quarantine

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: A context of pandemic and social isolation can enhance the emotional triad of anxiety, fear and anguish, in the
face of uncertainty, economic problems, excess information, among other factors. The objective of this research was to evaluate anxiety in the context of a COVID-19 pandemic in a sample of the Argentine population after 60 days of mandatory confinement. METHODS: Non-experimental cross-sectional study. A nonprobalistic sample of 712 volunteers was selected, with  a wide age and geographic coverage, to which the state and trait anxiety questionnaire was applied. This psychometric  instrument measures both types of anxiety, and is made up of 40 items distributed in two subscales. Three subgroups were  analyzed: health professionals, people with other risk professions and people who carry out activities without specific  associated risk. RESULTS: Low levels of anxiety were observed, however women had higher anxiety values than men. Significant differences were detected at 5% in the case of women, resulting in the mean AR values for all the subgroups analyzed.  DISCUSSION: This study opens the question as to which would be the factor of greatest discomfort, if COVID-19 or the  consequent preventtion measures; At the same time, the evidence of low anxiety levels leads us to the need to investigate  depression indicators in the near future.