Level of Fear and Its Determinants in the Indian Population Due to COVID-19 Disease

Background The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection was declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization. A total of three waves across most of the states in India have been reported to date, during which strict lockdown was imposed and conditional relaxations were offered between the subsequent waves. Amid the high morbidity and mortality, there has been severe psychological distress among people which has led to mental health impairment.Methodology We investigated the level of fear in the Indian population due to COVID-19 using the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCS-19) and various factors influencing it. A cross-sectional study was undertaken across India among participants more than 18 years of age by recruiting participants through social media platforms such as WhatsApp and Instagram. Along with the FCS-19 questionnaire, sociodemographic information about the participants, preexisting history of comorbidities, and psychiatric illnesses were collected. The study sample was drawn by convenience technique, and the data were collected over two months from October 2021 to December 2021.Results A total of 419 participants (212 females and 207 males) participated in the study. The mean FCS-19 score of the population was 18.29 +/- 6.43 (SD). Participants with a history of COVID-19-related deaths in their own family or surrounding areas had a significantly higher FCS-19 score than those without a history of COVID-19-related deaths. The mean FCS-19 score for healthcare professionals was also significantly lower than for other professions. FCS-19 scores were significantly higher among participants with psychiatric conditions than those without.Conclusions The study showed a positive association between a preexisting mental health disease and FCS-19 score and a negative association if the participant was a healthcare professional. While other factors such as age, gender, residential area, and preexisting comorbidity did not show a significant association with fear associated with COVID-19.