Abstract

Introduction: As countries introduce measures to restrict movement as part of efforts to reduce the number of people infected with COVID-19, more and more of us are making huge changes to our daily routines. The new realities of working from home, temporary unemployment, home schooling of children, and lack of physical contact with other family members, friends and colleagues take time to get used to strated to develop anxiety among people. Considering the current trend conducted a study to assess health anxiety among adults attending selected hospitals in UAE. Objectives were to assess health anxiety among the adults and to associate level of health anxiety with selected demographic variables Materials and Methods: A Quantitative Research approach with a Cross sectional descriptive survey was used to assess the health anxiety among adults. Data were obtained from the adults using a structured questionnaire to elicit demographic profileof the adults along with a standardized questionnaire to assess level of health anxietyamong the adults. Sample participation was voluntary, complying with the consentprocedure in force, ensuring confidentiality and anonymity and the right to withdraw from the study at any given point during the study. A total of 100 valid responses were received. Descriptive statistics was used to analyse the frequency and percentage distribution of socio-demographic variables. Inferential statistics like chi square and Fishersexact test of association was used to associate anxiety with selected demographic variable of adults. Conclusionand Major Findings of the Study: The result relieved that Majority (56%) of the adults were between 31 to 40 years. Only (1%) of the adults were above 50 years. Majority (59%) of the adults were male and (41%) were females. Most of the adults (33%) were completed high school. Majority (62) of the adults were working in ministry job and few (22%)were unemployed and only (12%) were private company. Most of the adults (74%) were married. Few (19%) were unmarried and only (1%) were divorced. Majority (88%) were sleeping (6- 10 hrs). Few (10%) were sleeping Less than 5hrs and only (2%) were sleeping more than 10hrs. Most of the adults (86%) were having history of chronic illness. Majority (69%) of the adults had mildlevel of anxiety and only (6%) had severe level of health anxiety.

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