Temporal changes in mental response and prevention patterns, and their impact from uncertainty stress during the transition in China from the COVID-19 epidemic to sporadic infection

An epidemic of a highly lethal disease can overwhelm people emotionally and physically. Little is known about how public mental and preventive patterns changed during the transition from the COVID-19 epidemic to sporadic infection. This study examined changing trends of metal response and behavioral variables, and their impact from uncertainty stress in this process in China. A prospective longitudinal observation design was utilized. There were 7 waves of surveys from COVID-19 epidemic status to the sporadic infection period. Sixty-two participants completed all observation points and were included in the study. The Mann–Kendall Test was used to assess changing trends across the seven observation points. The nonparametric linear mixed effects model was used to examine the association between uncertainty stress and mental and behavioral responses. The mean uncertainty stress did not change significantly over the observation period (Z: −0.911, p > 0.05). This trend was also true for perceived risk, perceived severity, self-efficacy for prevention, and prevention behavior. There was a statistically significant downward trend in irrational beliefs about prevention (Z: −4.993, p < 0.01), sleep (Z: −2.499, p < 0.05), emotions (Z: −5.650, p < 0.01), and lifestyle (Z: −5.978, p < 0.01). The results showed that uncertainty stress was positively associated with irrational beliefs (β: 0.16298, p < 0.01), their sleep (β: 0.02070, p < 0.05), emotions (β: 0.03462, p < 0.01), and lifestyle (β: 0.02056, p < 0.05). High levels of uncertainty stress were negatively associated with self-efficacy for prevention and prevention behavior, β was −1.33210 (p < 0.01) and −0.82742 (p < 0.01). These results may have important policy and disease prevention in post-epidemic times.