Is the cure really worse than the disease? The health impacts of lockdowns during COVID-19

Meyerowitz-Katz, Gideon; Bhatt, Samir; Ratmann, Oliver; Brauner, Jan Markus; Flaxman, Seth; Mishra, Swapnil; Sharma, Mrinank; Mindermann, Sören; Bradley, Valerie C.; Vollmer, Michaela; Merone, Lea; Yamey, Gavin

doi:10.1136/bmjgh-2021-006653

Cited by 70 publications

(61 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…However, social media also comprised discussions of how changes to young people’s social environments resulting from the pandemic had improved their mental health. Therefore, our findings align with recent research that has argued that COVID-19 control measures have had no singular or universal impact on individuals’ mental health [ 31 , 32 ]; the impact has been complex, nuanced and contextual.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

The Impact of COVID-19 on Young People’s Mental Health in the UK: Key Insights from Social Media Using Online Ethnography

Winter

Lavis

2021

IJERPH

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There is increasing evidence of the psychological impact of COVID-19 on various population groups, with concern particularly focused on young people’s mental health. However, few papers have engaged with the views of young people themselves. We present findings from a study into young people’s discussions on social media about the impact of COVID-19 on their mental health. Real-time, multi-platform online ethnography was used to collect social media posts by young people in the United Kingdom (UK), March 2020–March 2021, 1033 original posts and 13,860 associated comments were analysed thematically. Mental health difficulties that were described as arising from, or exacerbated by, school closures, lost opportunities or fraught family environments included depression, anxiety and suicidality. Yet, some also described improvements to their mental health, away from prior stressors, such as school. Young people also recounted anxiety at the ramifications of the virus on others. The complexities of the psychological impact of COVID-19 on young people, and how this impact is situated in their pre-existing social worlds, need recognising. Forging appropriate support necessitates looking beyond an individualised conceptualisation of young people’s mental health that sets this apart from broader societal concerns. Instead, both research and practice need to take a systemic approach, recognising young people’s societal belonging and social contexts.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

The Impact of COVID-19 on Young People’s Mental Health in the UK: Key Insights from Social Media Using Online Ethnography

Winter

Lavis

2021

IJERPH

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“…In Vietnam a fourth wave has occurred. Even in the public health literature, calls have been made to moderate the containment measures in order to protect livelihoods, food security, and wellbeing ( Adams et al, 2021 ; Meyerowitz-Katz et al, 2021 ). For example, Rwanda and Vietnam have been rightly praised for exemplary containment of COVID-19 ( Karim et al, 2021 , Van Tan, 2021 ), but during the periods of stringent restrictions, we observed severe food insecurity outcomes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Perceived effects of COVID-19 restrictions on smallholder farmers: Evidence from seven lower- and middle-income countries

Hammond

Siegal²,

Milner

et al. 2022

Agricultural Systems

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CONTEXT The COVID-19 pandemic caused unprecedented global disruption and continues to wreak havoc. Dire predictions were made about the risks to smallholder farmers in lower- and middle- income, but hard data have been lacking. We present the results from 9201 interviews with smallholder farmers from seven countries. OBJECTIVE The objectives are to describe: i) how farmers perceive the key effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and containment measures on livelihoods and food security; ii) the effects on agricultural activities; iii) the coping strategies households deployed. METHODS Household surveys were conducted as part of ongoing monitoring programs during the latter half of 2020. Sites in seven countries were covered: Burundi; Kenya; Rwanda; Tanzania; Uganda; and then Vietnam and Zambia. Findings are representative of smallholder farmers across multiple districts per country. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Our results show that the effects of the COVID-19 containment measures were widespread and often perceived to be severe. Food purchase, off farm income, sale of farm produce, and access to crop inputs were all affected. In locations under more stringent restrictions during the time of the survey, up to 80% of households had to reduce food consumption or variety. Almost all households with off-farm incomes reported reductions, by half on average. A half to three-quarters of households (depending on the location) with income from farm sales reported losses compared to the pre-pandemic situation. In locations with more relaxed containment measures in place during the time of the survey, less frequent and less severe economic and food security outcomes were perceived by the respondent, with around 20% of households reporting negative outcomes. Mobility restrictions, reduced market access, crashes in sale price for agricultural goods, and soaring prices for food purchase were key factors. Sale prices generally dropped for all agricultural products in any given location, and affected not only high value perishable products, but also staple crops such as maize and cassava. Depending on the location, between 30% and 90% of the households applied coping strategies in response to the pandemic during 2020. There was an almost complete absence of official aid amongst households interviewed. SIGNIFICANCE Our results raise the thorny issue of how best to balance containment of COVID-19 against the wellbeing of the vulnerable rural population in lower- and middle-income countries. There is a risk that the buffering capacity of rural people will become exhausted. Possible policy measures to limit negative outcomes include i) tiered mobility restrictions with travel allowed for economic reasons; ii) short-term price guarantee schemes to stabilise the food system; iii) direct aid; iv) the timely re-installation of distribution channels for agricultural inputs.

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“…Some major factors which contribute to specificity of pandemic anxiety are the fear of becoming infected and dying, socially disruptive behaviors, and adaptive behaviors (Asmundson and Taylor, 2020 ; Bernardo et al, 2020 ; Wang et al, 2020 ). In other words, the increased risk of death (Aldridge et al, 2020 ), additionally unemployment and economic losses (Coibion et al, 2020 ), and numerous restrictions introduced by the countries' governments around the world, lead to negative health consequences (Meyerowitz-Katz et al, 2021 ), that include pandemic anxiety with its specifics as well (Bernardo et al, 2020 ). Accordingly, a fair number of studies have been published indicating an increase in anxiety symptoms in pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic (Ayaz et al, 2020 ; Corbett et al, 2020 ; Durankuş and Aksu, 2020 ; Kotabagi et al, 2020 ; Lebel et al, 2020 ; Moyer et al, 2020 ; Saccone et al, 2020 ; Wu et al, 2020 ; Yue et al, 2021 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Impact of Maternal Anxiety on Early Child Development During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Jeličić¹,

Sovilj²,

Bogavac³

et al. 2021

Front. Psychol.

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Background: Maternal prenatal anxiety is among important public health issues as it may affect child development. However, there are not enough studies to examine the impact of a mother's anxiety on the child's early development, especially up to 1 year.Objective: The present prospective cohort study aimed to examine whether maternal trait anxiety, perceived social support, and COVID-19 related fear impacted speech-language, sensory-motor, and socio-emotional development in 12 months old Serbian infants during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: This follow-up study included 142 pregnant women (Time 1) and their children at 12 months (Time 2). Antenatal maternal anxiety and children's development were examined. Maternal anxiety was assessed using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Child speech-language, sensory-motor, and socio-emotional development were assessed using the developmental scale in the form of an online questionnaire that examined the early psychophysiological child development. Information on socioeconomic factors, child and maternal demographics, clinical factors, and perceived fear of COVID-19 viral infection were collected. Multivariable General Linear Model analysis was conducted, adjusted for demographic, clinical, and coronavirus prenatal experiences, maternal prenatal anxiety levels, perceived social support, speech-language, motor skills, and cognitive and socio-emotional development at the infants' age of 12 months.Results: The study revealed the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal trait anxiety. The association between selected independent factors and infants' development was found in a demographically unified sample except for employment and the number of children. There was a correlation between all observed developmental functions. Univariate General Linear model statistical analysis indicated that linear models with selected independent factors and covariates could account for 30.9% (Cognition) up to 40.6% (Speech-language) of variability in developmental functions. It turned out that two-way and three-way interactions had a dominant role on models, and STAI-T Level and COVID-19 related fear were present in all interaction terms.Conclusion: Our findings reveal important determinants of child developmental outcomes and underline the impact of maternal anxiety on early child development. These findings lay the groundwork for the following interdisciplinary research on pregnancy and child development to facilitate and achieve positive developmental outcomes and maternal mental health.

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Is the cure really worse than the disease? The health impacts of lockdowns during COVID-19

Abstract: Contributors All authors contributed equally to writing, editing, refining and improving the document as well as all literature searching.

Cited by 70 publications

References 33 publications

The Impact of COVID-19 on Young People’s Mental Health in the UK: Key Insights from Social Media Using Online Ethnography

The Impact of COVID-19 on Young People’s Mental Health in the UK: Key Insights from Social Media Using Online Ethnography

Perceived effects of COVID-19 restrictions on smallholder farmers: Evidence from seven lower- and middle-income countries

The Impact of Maternal Anxiety on Early Child Development During the COVID-19 Pandemic

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