Women’s health anxiety and psychological wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic. A descriptive study

BACKGROUND: The rapid spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has led to extraordinary measures taken worldwide and has led to serious psychological disorders. With the measures taken, the difficulties in women’s daily lives are increasing exponentially. This situation has caused women to experience more mental health problems. OBJECTIVE: To identify the relationship between women’s health anxiety and psychological wellbeing and the factors affecting these situations during the COVID-19 pandemic. DESIGN AND SETTING: Descriptive study conducted online among women living in Adana, Turkey. METHOD: This descriptive study was conducted among 623 married women between April 1 and April 20, 2020, using a SurveyMonkey online questionnaire. Data were collected using the link that was established. The questions comprised personal information, perceptions regarding the pandemic, the Health Anxiety Inventory (Short Form) and the Psychological Wellbeing Scale. RESULTS: The women who participated were found to have a high level of anxiety and a moderate level of psychological wellbeing. A positive, moderate-level relationship was found between the scales. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic has had negative effects on both physical and psychological health. Support for women, to be provided within their holistic understanding of care, is of great importance for maintaining the psychological health of society.