Diminished well-being persists beyond the end of the COVID-19 lockdown.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Pieh C
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7833457 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May-Jun
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Diminished well-being persists beyond the end of the COVID-19 lockdown.
Pieh Christoph C Probst Thomas T Budimir Sanja S Humer Elke E
General hospital psychiatry 20210115
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Project description:This study investigated how contact with nature benefitted well-being during a strict lockdown. The study took place in Israel during the last week of the first COVID-19 lockdown, when citizens were restricted to remain within 100 m of home. A survey company distributed questionnaires among 776 individuals. The questionnaires included demographic variables (gender, ethnic and cultural groups, age, income loss due to the pandemic), contact with nature variables (Nature near home, Nature viewed from home windows, and being in nature on the preceding day), and well-being measures (positive affect, negative affect, vitality, happiness, and stress). Before completing the well-being questionnaire, participants took part in an experiment that tested the effect of viewing nature images or urban images on well-being measures. The results showed that nature near home and nature viewed from the windows contributed to higher levels of well-being, and that being in nature on the preceding day was associated with higher levels of positive affect. These benefits emerged even among those who had been economically harmed by the pandemic. Viewing nature images was also associated with level of well-being, mainly to reduced level of stress and negative affect. The current findings extend the understanding of the benefits of access to nature during stressful times, particularly during emergencies when accessing remote nature is impossible. Furthermore, the findings highlight the dual effect of contact with nature on well-being: enhancement of positive affect together with reduction of negative affect and stress. The findings indicate that exposure to nature is much more valuable for women than for men. These findings are highly important in view of gender differences in pandemic's impact on people's well-being.
| S-EPMC8555442 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Mindfulness interventions were shown to be effective in improving well-being and reducing perceived stress in several conditions. These effects were also found in online mindfulness-based training, especially in employees in organizational environments. The aim of this study was to test the effectiveness of an online mindfulness intervention on healthy employees, especially after the first Italian Covid-19 lockdown. Participants in the intervention group underwent an 8-week mindfulness online training program based on the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) protocol compared to a control (no-intervention) group. All participants filled in weekly surveys for the whole intervention duration via online questionnaires to measure their habits, mindfulness (FFMQ-15), emotion regulation (ERQ), positive and negative affect (PANAS), depression, anxiety and stress (DASS-21), resilience (RSA) and insomnia (ISI). 69 participants in the intervention group and 63 in the no-treatment control group were considered in the longitudinal analyses. We found significant differences between the intervention and control groups over time in the measures of mindfulness (in particular the nonreactivity subscale), positive affect, depression, and insomnia. Moreover, we found that the frequency of practice and ease perceived in practicing were positively correlated to several indices of well-being (mindfulness, positive affect, cognitive reappraisal) and negatively correlated to several indices of stress (negative affect, depression, anxiety, stress, insomnia, expressive suppression). These results show the importance and effectiveness of online mindfulness training programs to cope with stress among employees, especially after the Covid-19 lockdown.
| S-EPMC9019542 | biostudies-literature
Project description:PurposeHearing and vision impairment are prevalent chronic conditions associated with poorer mental health. Limitations of in-person contacts during COVID-19-related lockdown measures may affect those with sensory impairments more severely exacerbating mental health problems. We aimed to determine whether hearing and/or visual impairment were associated with more psychological distress during a time of lockdown measures in Spring/Summer 2020 in Wisconsin.MethodsWe included 1341(64% women, aged 20-92 years) Survey of the Health of Wisconsin COVID-19 survey participants (May 2020-July,2020). We assessed self-reported current mental health and well-being and vision and hearing impairment. Logistic regression models with sensory impairments as determinants and mental health outcomes were adjusted for age, gender, race, education, heart disease, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes.ResultsVision impairment was associated with increased odds of generalized anxiety disorder (odds ratio = 2.10; 95% confidence interval = 1.32-3.29) and depressive symptoms (2.57;1.58-4.11), greater likelihood to report loneliness (1.65;1.00-2.64) and hopelessness (1.45;1.01-2.08). Hearing impaired individuals reported more loneliness (1.80;1.05-2.98) and hopelessness (1.42;0.99-2.03). Exploratory analyses revealed that sensory impaired individuals less often chose walking as a coping strategy during the pandemic.ConclusionsIndividuals with sensory impairment may represent a particularly vulnerable population during the COVID-19 pandemic. Future research should determine underlying reasons and interventions to mitigate this populations' disadvantages.
| S-EPMC9829601 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectivesMeasures to control the on-going COVID-19 pandemic such as quarantine and social distancing, together with information overload about the sporadic spread of the disease have negatively impacted many individuals' mental and psychosocial health. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of self-reported mental health parameters and the coping mechanisms of employees and students in a Saudi State University.MethodsAn online survey in both Arabic and English was launched targeting students, staff and faculty of King Saud University from May 11 to June 6, 2020, the peak of Saudi Arabia's nationwide lockdown. A total of 1542 respondents (726 males and 816 females) aged 20-65 years old participated.ResultsMajority of the respondents claimed to have suffered from anxiety (58.1%), depression (50.2%) and insomnia (32.2%) during the lockdown. On average, 65.3% respondents agreed that family bond strengthened during lockdown. Those in the highest quartile of family bonding score (Q4) were 41% [odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of 0.59 (0.39-0.87), p < 0.001] and 59% [OR 0.41 (CI 0.27-0.64), p < 0.001] were less likely to be anxious and depressed, respectively, even after adjusting for covariates. This independent and significant inverse association was more apparent in females than males.ConclusionSelf-reported acute mental health disorders were common within the academic community during the COVID-19 lockdown. Strength of family bonding as a coping mechanism was instrumental in preserving mental well-being, especially in females.
| S-EPMC7709609 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundCOVID-19 lockdowns have reduced opportunities for physical activity (PA) and encouraged more sedentary lifestyles. A concomitant of sedentariness is compromised mental health. We investigated the effects of COVID-19 lockdown on PA, sedentary behavior, and mental health across four Western nations (USA, UK, France, and Australia).MethodsAn online survey was administered in the second quarter of 2020 (N = 2541). We measured planned and unplanned dimensions of PA using the Brunel Lifestyle Physical Activity Questionnaire and mental health using the 12-item General Health Questionnaire. Steps per day were recorded only from participants who used an electronic device for this purpose, and sedentary behavior was reported in hours per day (sitting and screen time).ResultsIn the USA and Australia samples, there was a significant decline in planned PA from pre- to during lockdown. Among young adults, Australians exhibited the lowest planned PA scores, while in middle-aged groups, the UK recorded the highest. Young adults exhibited the largest reduction in unplanned PA. Across nations, there was a reduction of ~ 2000 steps per day. Large increases in sedentary behavior emerged during lockdown, which were most acute in young adults. Lockdown was associated with a decline in mental health that was more pronounced in women.ConclusionsThe findings illustrate the deleterious effects of lockdown on PA, sedentary behavior, and mental health across four Western nations. Australian young and lower middle-aged adults appeared to fare particularly badly in terms of planned PA. The reduction in steps per day is equivalent to the non-expenditure of ~ 100 kcal. Declines in mental health show how harmful lockdowns can be for women in particular.
| S-EPMC8154111 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThere is concern that pandemic measures put a strain on the health and well-being of children. We investigated the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the lockdown, and social distancing on the well-being, media use, and emotions of children and adolescents between 9 and 18 years.MethodsWe used linear and proportional odds logistic regression correcting for age, sex, and socioeconomic status (SES) and to compare media use, peers/social support, physical, and psychological well-being between 2019 (pre-COVID baseline) and two time points shortly after the start of the lockdown (last week of March and April 2020, respectively) in 391 9-19-year-old healthy children and adolescents of the LIFE Child cohort. COVID-19-related feelings and their relationship to age, sex, and SES were assessed at two time points during lockdown.ResultsWe found significantly lower scores in physical and psychological well-being during lockdown compared to baseline. The effect was significantly stronger in children with medium/low SES. Perceived social support scores were also significantly lower during the lockdown. The percentage of children who had no contact with their peers (in-person or online) increased from 3% pre-COVID to 14% and 13% in April and March 2020, respectively. About 80% of the children missed in-person contacts with friends. Most of the children worried more about the health of their families than their own. Sixty percent worried about the international situation at least moderately, whereas only 20% were afraid of COVID-19 itself. The percentage of children who believed it would never be as before COVID-19 rose from 7.4% at the beginning lockdown end of March to 16.2% a month later. In contrast, all other COVID-19-related worries, showed a (nonsignificant) decline during the same period.ConclusionOur study supports the notion that pandemic measures have to be balanced against adverse public health effects. Especially vulnerable groups have to be protected.
| S-EPMC8250267 | biostudies-literature
Project description:As leisure-one of the crucial life domains-was completely disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, our study aimed to investigate how adolescents spent their leisure time during the Spring 2020 lockdown. Secondly, we aimed to investigate the associations between the perceived changes in leisure time use, the leisure activities adolescents engaged in, and the associations with well-being during the Spring 2020 lockdown in Czechia. Data from 3438 participants were included in this study (54.2% girls; mean age = 13.45, SD = 1.62). First, the initial number of items measuring leisure, electronic media use, and sports was reduced through Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Multivariate linear regression models tested the associations between leisure domains and mental well-being Results: The amount of leisure time, together with socially active leisure and sports and physical activity, formed the strongest positive predictors of mental well-being, whereas idle activities and time spent on electronic media acted as negative predictors. The amount of time spent doing schoolwork was unrelated to mental well-being. Overall, our results support the idea that leisure as a promoting factor for well-being is not just a matter of its amount but rather of engagement in meaningful and fulfilling activities.
| S-EPMC8657078 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Lockdown has been recognized as a gold standard measure to limit COVID-19 infection among the general population; however, it has a deleterious impact on their mental well-being. Many studies measured the mental well-being of different population groups during the lockdown period. Nonetheless, very little is known about the mental well-being of the general population when the lockdown has been relaxed or withdrawn in a particular country. Our study aimed to measure the mental well-being of the general population when the lockdown was lifted in Bangladesh. A cross-sectional survey was conducted from December 1, 2020, to February 28, 2021, using both web-based data collection and in-person interview facilities. Data from 3035 general Bangladeshi aged 18 and above were analyzed. Mental well-being was measured using the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS) (Registration ID: 518226001). A multivariable linear regression model was employed to find the influential variables after controlling the confounders. The mean well-being score was 43.66. Well-being score was significantly lower among women (slope -2.171, p = <0.001), low-educated (slope -2.485, p = 0.018), and currently not working (slope -2.263, p = <0.001) population. However, we found significantly higher mental well-being scores among those with no comorbidity (slope 3.436, p = <0.001). Though the withdrawal of the lockdown improved the overall mental well-being of the general population, women, low-educated, not working, and the comorbid population were still suffering from low mental well-being problems. Special attention is recommended to address the vulnerable population when discussing the mental health of adult Bangladeshi during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
| S-EPMC10021766 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The coronavirus pandemic, social distancing, and lockdown measures have had an impact on employee well-being. This study uses Latent Profile Analysis to examine subjective well-being among employees during the first lockdown based on a cross-national survey in UK and France (n = 652). We identify five distinct well-being profiles, namely Moderately positive (67%), Languishing (18%), Flourishing (8%), Mixed feelings (4%), and Apathetic (3%). The results showed that while some employees were suffering, others managed to thrive and cope with the stresses of the lockdown. We also found that the profiles could be distinguished by perceived changes in financial situation and physical health as well as experienced boredom. Our study complements prior studies that examine the relations between individual characteristics and well-being during the pandemic on a general level by showing that employee well-being under lockdown is not the same across the board.
| S-EPMC8219910 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundMental health and well-being were seriously impacted by the COVID-19 lockdown especially among young people and people with psychiatric disorders. This study aimed to identify factors associated with well-being in young people with psychiatric disorders, during early phase of COVID-19 lockdown in France.MethodsA national cross-sectional online study started on the 8th day of COVID-19 lockdown in France (during March 25-30, 2020). We included young people aged from 16 to 29 who responded to the questionnaire, living and being confined in France, with past or current psychiatric treatment. The questionnaire was accessible online and explored demographics and clinical factors, well-being, stress, situation during lockdown. Well-being was measured by the Warwick-Edinburg Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS). Simple and multiple linear regression analyses were carried out.Results439 individuals were included with 262 (59.7%) previously treated and 177 (40.3%) currently treated. WEMWBS total score were 42.48 (9.05). Feeling of useful was the most affected dimension. Well-being was positively correlated with: currently working on site, physical activity, abilities to cope with difficulties, family and social supports (p<0.05). It was negatively correlated with: elevated stress level, anxious ruminations, dissatisfaction with information, difficulties to sleep or reorganize daily life, feeling supported by medicines (p<0.05). No individual factor was correlated with well-being. The stepwise linear multivariate model had simple R2 coefficient of determination of 0.535.ConclusionIn the specific population of young people with psychiatric disorders, factors associated with well-being at early stage of lockdown were mainly psychosocial and related to brutal disorganisation of daily life.
| S-EPMC9246141 | biostudies-literature