Table 2 Characteristics of study participants (N = 319) and their mean score of C19P-SE

Total

56.47 ± 17.64

Age^a

26.53 ± 4.60

Gender

0.048

Male

111 (34.8)

53.66 ± 19.37

Female

208 (65.2)

57.97 ± 16.49

Education level

0.372

Undergraduate and others (e.g.: language learning program)

66 (20.7)

58.45 ± 21.05

Graduate and above

253 (79.3)

55.95 ± 16.64

Major type

0.015

Medical/health-related

34 (10.7)

49.50 ± 15.78

Non-medical

285 (89.3)

57.30 ± 17.69

Religion

0.083

Have religion

40 (12.5)

51.95 ± 20.06

No religion

279 (87.5)

57.11 ± 17.20

Living alone

0.673

Yes

162 (50.8)

56.06 ± 17.42

No

157 (49.2)

56.89 ± 17.90

Living area

0.442

City

295 (92.5)

56.26 ± 17.58

Rural

24 (7.5)

59.04 ± 18.51

Vaccination

0.915

Not vaccinated

8 (2.5)

57.13 ± 21.60

At least one dose

311 (97.5)

56.45 ± 17.57

Got COVID-19 or not

0.020

Yes

33 (10.3)

49.73 ± 16.32

No

286 (89.7)

57.24 ± 17.64

Government’s COVID-19 mitigation policy opinion^b

< 0.001

Do not agree

196 (61.4)

62.63 ± 15.41

Do not care

70 (21.9)

46.90 ± 14.62

Agree

53 (16.6)

46.32 ± 18.89

COVID-19 Phobia level

Low (20–40)

57 (17.9)

31.53 ± 6.12

Medium (41–70)

192 (60.2%)

54.73 ± 7.98

High (71–100)

70 (21.9)

81.53 ± 8.21