Effects of home confinement on mental health and lifestyle behaviours during the COVID-19 outbreak: Insight from the ECLB-COVID19 multicenter study

Abstract

Although recognised as effective measures to curb the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak, social distancing and self-isolation have been suggested to generate a burden throughout the population. To provide scientific data to help identify risk factors for the psychosocial strain during the COVID-19 outbreak, an international cross-disciplinary online survey was circulated in April 2020. This report outlines the mental, emotional and behavioural consequences of COVID-19 home confinement. The ECLB-COVID19 electronic survey was designed by a steering group of multidisciplinary scientists, following a structured review of the literature. The survey was uploaded and shared on the Google online survey platform and was promoted by thirty-five research organizations from Europe, North Africa, Western Asia and the Americas. Questions were presented in a differential format with questions related to responses “before” and “during” the confinement period. 1047 replies (54% women) from Western Asia (36%), North Africa (40%), Europe (21%) and other continents (3%) were analysed. The COVID-19 home confinement evoked a negative effect on mental wellbeing and emotional status (P < 0.001; 0.43 ≤ d ≤ 0.65) with a greater proportion of individuals experiencing psychosocial and emotional disorders (+10% to +16.5%). These psychosocial tolls were associated with unhealthy lifestyle behaviours with a greater proportion of individuals experiencing (i) physical (+15.2%) and social (+71.2%) inactivity, (ii) poor sleep quality (+12.8%), (iii) unhealthy diet behaviours (+10%), and (iv) unemployment (6%). Conversely, participants demonstrated a greater use (+15%) of technology during the confinement period. These findings elucidate the risk of psychosocial strain during the COVID-19 home confinement period and provide a clear remit for the urgent implementation of technology-based intervention to foster an Active and Healthy Confinement Lifestyle AHCL).

Physical Activity, Health-Related Quality of Life, and Stress among the Chinese Adult Population during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Evidence from a review reported several psychological perturbations and emotional disturbances such as stress and quality of life in SARs infected patients during the quarantine periods [31]. A recent study also reported that home confinement evoked a negative effect on mental wellbeing and emotional status because of experienced physical inactivity, social isolation as well as unemployment during the COVID-19 pandemic [32]. Importantly, sedentary behavior caused by the implementation of confinement policies to combat COVID-19 negatively impacted people's quality of life in this current study.…”

Relationship of Forced Social Distancing and Home Confinement Derived from the COVID-19 Pandemic with the Occupational Balance of the Spanish Population

“…There is a trend for a worse occupational balance as the days of home confinement progress, probably due to increased levels of stress, anxiety and depression [23]. Occupational balance is significantly and positively correlated with physical and mental health [6,22,34,37] and predicts the perceived stress by the general population [13], with a higher incidence in so-called risk groups [38].…”

“…The abrupt interruption in the performance of daily occupations has favored the adoption of health risk behaviors, such as physical inactivity, sedentary lifestyles, and excessive alcohol consumption [18], producing high levels of anxiety and depression [19][20][21]. All of this suggests that the lack of occupational balance translates into a general shortage of regulatory skills and capacities, with negative effects on health, which can lead to serious illnesses [22][23][24][25]. The feelings of loss of control and loneliness, caused by confinement and social distancing, have increased the incidence of daytime stress, altered sleep patterns [21,[26][27][28], and increased irritability [21], as well as the almost-complete loss of structured occupations (school, work, and training) in young adults, one of the groups most affected by the effects of this situation [29,30].…”

Dietary Habits and Psychological States during COVID-19 Home Isolation in Italian College Students: The Role of Physical Exercise

“…In the last months, several articles have been published regarding the effects of the home confinement and social-isolation period on different domains: psychological states [1,2], physical activity [3], nutrition [4,5] or the integration of these [6][7][8][9]. Mood disturbances, such as anxiety, depression, anger and irritability, have been previously reported in several studies during quarantine periods, as reviewed by Brooks et al [10].…”