Fear of COVID-19 scale: Assessing fear of the coronavirus pandemic in Brazil

This study aimed to assess the fear of COVID-19 in the Brazilian population, validate the FCV-19S and examine the association of its scores with sociodemographic and pandemic-related variables. A total of 7430 participants were recruited in an online survey. From the factor analysis results, FCV-19S proved to be suitable, indicating a higher level of fear for women and also for those aged 18-29 years. Besides, belonging to a high-risk group and having relatives diagnosed or deceased by COVID-19 showed a positive association with fear. These findings pointed out the most vulnerable groups, which can assist in planning mental health actions.