Revisiting Public Trust and Media Influence During COVID-19 Post-Vaccination Era—Waning of Anxiety and Depression Levels Among Skilled Workers and Students in Serbia

Infectious disease outbreaks amplify the influence of stressors on psychological conditions. The purpose of this study was to analyze the disturbing influence of COVID-19 outbreak-related information and the influence of trust on the Serbian healthcare system and COVID-19 preventive measures on anxi...

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Main Authors: Miljan Adamovic, Srdjan Nikolovski, Stefan Milojevic, Nebojsa Zdravkovic, Ivan Markovic, Olivera Djokic, Slobodan Tomic, Ivana Burazor, Dragoslava Zivkov Saponja, Jasna Gacic, Jelena Petkovic, Snezana Knezevic, Marko Spiler, Snezana Svetozarevic, Ana Adamovic
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Behavioral Sciences
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/7/939
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author Miljan Adamovic
Srdjan Nikolovski
Stefan Milojevic
Nebojsa Zdravkovic
Ivan Markovic
Olivera Djokic
Slobodan Tomic
Ivana Burazor
Dragoslava Zivkov Saponja
Jasna Gacic
Jelena Petkovic
Snezana Knezevic
Marko Spiler
Snezana Svetozarevic
Ana Adamovic
author_facet Miljan Adamovic
Srdjan Nikolovski
Stefan Milojevic
Nebojsa Zdravkovic
Ivan Markovic
Olivera Djokic
Slobodan Tomic
Ivana Burazor
Dragoslava Zivkov Saponja
Jasna Gacic
Jelena Petkovic
Snezana Knezevic
Marko Spiler
Snezana Svetozarevic
Ana Adamovic
author_sort Miljan Adamovic
collection DOAJ
description Infectious disease outbreaks amplify the influence of stressors on psychological conditions. The purpose of this study was to analyze the disturbing influence of COVID-19 outbreak-related information and the influence of trust on the Serbian healthcare system and COVID-19 preventive measures on anxiety and depression. An anonymous online questionnaire assessing the demographic information, disturbance level and causes, and levels of anxiety and depression has been distributed to the participants, divided into student and non-student groups. The non-student group was further divided into healthcare, military, and education workers. Anxiety and depression levels, as well as the level of decreased trust in COVID-19-related preventive measures, were higher among students compared to non-students (<i>p</i> = 0.011). Higher anxiety and depression levels, and higher influence of the COVID-19 outbreak on those levels, were observed in education and healthcare workers, compared to military personnel. Medical doctors reported a higher level of trust in the healthcare system compared to nurses (<i>p</i> = 0.023). Trust in the healthcare system increased more frequently compared to the pre-vaccination period among medical doctors, compared to nurses (<i>p</i> = 0.040). Higher anxiety and depression and lower public trust levels in students and workers in education and the healthcare sector indicate a need to focus on these important society members during public health emergencies.
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spelling doaj-art-e2670ca833ea4d2c9e901deabe955e682025-08-20T02:45:53ZengMDPI AGBehavioral Sciences2076-328X2025-07-0115793910.3390/bs15070939Revisiting Public Trust and Media Influence During COVID-19 Post-Vaccination Era—Waning of Anxiety and Depression Levels Among Skilled Workers and Students in SerbiaMiljan Adamovic0Srdjan Nikolovski1Stefan Milojevic2Nebojsa Zdravkovic3Ivan Markovic4Olivera Djokic5Slobodan Tomic6Ivana Burazor7Dragoslava Zivkov Saponja8Jasna Gacic9Jelena Petkovic10Snezana Knezevic11Marko Spiler12Snezana Svetozarevic13Ana Adamovic14Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, SerbiaDepartment of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Loyola University Chicago Medical Center, Maywood, IL 60153, USAFaculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, SerbiaDepartment of Medical Statistics and Informatics, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, SerbiaClinic of Psychiatry, University Clinical Center of Serbia, 11000 Belgrade, SerbiaInstitute for Cardiovascular Diseases “Dedinje”, 11000 Belgrade, SerbiaInstitute for Cardiovascular Diseases “Dedinje”, 11000 Belgrade, SerbiaInstitute for Cardiovascular Diseases “Dedinje”, 11000 Belgrade, SerbiaInstitute of Cardiovascular Diseases of Vojvodina, 21208 Sremska Kamenica, SerbiaFaculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, SerbiaGeneral Hospital “Stefan Visoki”, 11420 Smederevska Palanka, SerbiaFaculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, SerbiaFaculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, SerbiaNational Centre for Corporate Education, 11000 Belgrade, SerbiaFaculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, SerbiaInfectious disease outbreaks amplify the influence of stressors on psychological conditions. The purpose of this study was to analyze the disturbing influence of COVID-19 outbreak-related information and the influence of trust on the Serbian healthcare system and COVID-19 preventive measures on anxiety and depression. An anonymous online questionnaire assessing the demographic information, disturbance level and causes, and levels of anxiety and depression has been distributed to the participants, divided into student and non-student groups. The non-student group was further divided into healthcare, military, and education workers. Anxiety and depression levels, as well as the level of decreased trust in COVID-19-related preventive measures, were higher among students compared to non-students (<i>p</i> = 0.011). Higher anxiety and depression levels, and higher influence of the COVID-19 outbreak on those levels, were observed in education and healthcare workers, compared to military personnel. Medical doctors reported a higher level of trust in the healthcare system compared to nurses (<i>p</i> = 0.023). Trust in the healthcare system increased more frequently compared to the pre-vaccination period among medical doctors, compared to nurses (<i>p</i> = 0.040). Higher anxiety and depression and lower public trust levels in students and workers in education and the healthcare sector indicate a need to focus on these important society members during public health emergencies.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/7/939COVID-19vaccinesanxietydepression
spellingShingle Miljan Adamovic
Srdjan Nikolovski
Stefan Milojevic
Nebojsa Zdravkovic
Ivan Markovic
Olivera Djokic
Slobodan Tomic
Ivana Burazor
Dragoslava Zivkov Saponja
Jasna Gacic
Jelena Petkovic
Snezana Knezevic
Marko Spiler
Snezana Svetozarevic
Ana Adamovic
Revisiting Public Trust and Media Influence During COVID-19 Post-Vaccination Era—Waning of Anxiety and Depression Levels Among Skilled Workers and Students in Serbia
Behavioral Sciences
COVID-19
vaccines
anxiety
depression
title Revisiting Public Trust and Media Influence During COVID-19 Post-Vaccination Era—Waning of Anxiety and Depression Levels Among Skilled Workers and Students in Serbia
title_full Revisiting Public Trust and Media Influence During COVID-19 Post-Vaccination Era—Waning of Anxiety and Depression Levels Among Skilled Workers and Students in Serbia
title_fullStr Revisiting Public Trust and Media Influence During COVID-19 Post-Vaccination Era—Waning of Anxiety and Depression Levels Among Skilled Workers and Students in Serbia
title_full_unstemmed Revisiting Public Trust and Media Influence During COVID-19 Post-Vaccination Era—Waning of Anxiety and Depression Levels Among Skilled Workers and Students in Serbia
title_short Revisiting Public Trust and Media Influence During COVID-19 Post-Vaccination Era—Waning of Anxiety and Depression Levels Among Skilled Workers and Students in Serbia
title_sort revisiting public trust and media influence during covid 19 post vaccination era waning of anxiety and depression levels among skilled workers and students in serbia
topic COVID-19
vaccines
anxiety
depression
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/7/939
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