Socio-demographic antecedents, fear, and obsession of COVID-19 as predictors of mental health in Peruvian police and military forces

Abstract

The objective of this study was to explain mental health indicators based on sociodemographic variables, fear, and obsession with COVID-19 in a group of 214 Peruvian police and military personnel. Sociodemographic information, obsession with COVID-19, fear of COVID-19, mental health, depression, and anxiety were all measured. A structural model with latent variables was tested, evaluating procedural effects and their ultimate impact on mental health. The model showed an excellent fit to the observed data. Living in Lima, being in the Army and having the rank of officer and non-commissioned officer was tied to higher levels of fear of COVID-19. There was a large and positively correlated effect of fear of COVID-19 on COVID-19 obsession. Finally, there was a large and negative effect of being obsessed with the virus on mental health. Results could inform better prevention and mental health intervention for the police and military in Peru, who were two of the early main groups responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.