Perceived threat of COVID-19, self-assessment of physical health and mental resilience

The coronavirus pandemic is a global health crisis and the biggest challenge of our time. The aim of the study was to compare the perceived threat of COVID-19, self-assessed physical health, and mental resilience among some social categories vulnerable to stress during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as 67 people diagnosed with mental disorders and healthy people (67 healthcare specialists, 67 professionals in the areas of economy, education, law or IT, and 67 athletes). Age advance (r ((266)) = -227, p < 001) and perception of COVID-19 as a bigger threat (r ((266)) = -270, p < 001) were related to worsened self-assessed physical health. Higher mental resilience was accompanied by better physical health (r ((266)) = .190, p = 002). The people with mental disabilities had the lowest level of mental resilience (p = 034) and self-assessed their physical health as the poorest (p = 040). The healthcare specialists perceived COVID-19 as a threat in the highest degree (p = 011). The results revealed some coping resources that may strengthen mental resilience and improve health status among different sub-groups of population.