Psychological Factors

Remarkably little attention has been devoted to the psychological factors that influence the spread of pandemic infection and the associated emotional distress and social disruption. Psychological factors are important. They play a role in nonadherence to vaccination and hygiene programs and play an important role in how people cope with the threat of infection and associated losses. They help in understanding and managing societal problems, such as the spreading of excessive fear, stigmatization, and xenophobia that occur when people are threatened with infection.