Psychosocial Vulnerabilities to Upper Respiratory Infectious Illness: Implications for Susceptibility to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
Year: 2020
Type: article
Abstract: For 35 years, our laboratory has been involved in identifying psychosocial factors that predict who becomes ill when they are exposed to a virus affecting the upper respiratory tract. To pursue this question, we used a unique viral-challenge design in which we assessed behavioral, social, and psychological factors in healthy adults. We subsequently exposed these adults to a cold or influenza virus and then monitored them in quarantine for 5 to 6 days for onset of respiratory illness. Factors we found to be associated with greater risk of respiratory illnesses after virus exposure included smoking, ingesting an inadequate level of vitamin C, and chronic psychological stress. Those associated with decreased risk included social integration, social support, physical activity, adequate and efficient sleep, and moderate alcohol intake. We cautiously suggest that our findings could have implications for identifying who becomes ill when exposed to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus responsible for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This argument is based on evidence that the associations we report are replicable across multiple respiratory viruses and that the pathways found to link psychosocial factors to colds and influenza may play similar roles in COVID-19.
Author: Sheldon Cohen
Institution: Carnegie Mellon University
Language: English
Topic: COVID-19 and Mental Health
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,000
Funders: John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, University of Pittsburgh, National Institutes of Health, Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Medical Research Council, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Center for Research Resources, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
Awards: G1037376802, G122849612, G1646267944, G2328791590, G2528759606, G286834785, Social and psychological risk for infectious illness, University of Pittsburgh Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Social Ties and Health: Aggregating Data from Five Viral-Challenge Trials, G3994234757, UNDERSTANDING SHARED PSYCHOBIOLOGICAL PATHWAYS, G4577548039, G517149770, University of Pittsburgh Clinical and Translational Science Institute, G693857076, G764252285, UNDERSTANDING SHARED PSYCHOBIOLOGICAL PATHWAYS, G8232721138, G8943751835, G916784583
OpenAlex ID: W3041485345