Impact of COVID-19 on lifestyle and mental wellbeing in a drought-affected rural Australian population: A mixed method approach

Abstract

BackgroundThe Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused unprecedented social and economic disruption, accompanied by the enactment of a multitude of public health measures to restrain disease transmission. These public health and social measures have had a considerable impact on lifestyle and mental wellbeing, which has been well-studied in metropolitan populations, but very little in rural populations. Additionally, the development and use of a standardised scoring system for an overall assessment of patient lifestyle management, and monitoring of changes in these, may be warranted in clinical practice.MethodsThe associations between psychological distress and changes in SNAPS health behaviours (smoking, nutrition, alcohol, physical activity, sleep) since the onset of COVID-19 in rural Australia were examined. A cross-sectional anonymous online survey was distributed among adults in the Western New South Wales Primary Health Network in August 2020. The survey included measures of psychological distress, income, disposition, lifestyle factors and behaviours during the pandemic, as well as changes in lifestyle due to COVID-19. A novel Global Lifestyle Score (GLS) was generated as a holistic assessment of lifestyle across multiple domains.ResultsThe survey was completed by 308 individuals (modal age group: 45-54 years old, 86.4% female). High distress on the K5 scale was present in over one-third of respondents (n=98, 34.3%). Negative change was reported for sleep (24.4%), nutrition (14.3%), alcohol (17.8%), physical exercise (33.8%) and smoking (26.6%) since the onset of the pandemic. Additionally, changes in sleep, nutrition, physical activity and smoking were associated with distress. Respondents with a poor lifestyle (GLS) during the pandemic were significantly more distressed. Perceived COVID-19 impact was associated with high distress, level of drought impact and loss of income.ConclusionHigh rates of distress amongst rural Australians during the COVID-19 pandemic was linked, worsening lifestyles as measured by the GLS and loss of income. Lifestyle promotion strategies should be considered by health professionals for the management of crisis-related distress. Further research may explore the impact of COVID-19 on a larger population, including a greater proportion of male respondents, and the impact of modifying lifestyle factors on the reduction of distress in the context of a stressor such as this pandemic.