Longitudinal Study of Pandemic and Natural Disaster Distress

Abstract

Recent research in New Zealand, Australia, China, and the United States finds that COVID-19 increased psychological distress as measured by the Kessler-6 inventory. It is theorised that health risks, loss of employment, and economic downturn precipitated by COVID-19 produced distress, and that confidence in government, social belonging, and sense of community may mitigate against pandemic distress. However, theories of pandemic distress mitigation remain untested. Here, we compare longitudinal responses from the New Zealand Attitudes and Values Study (NZAVS), March 26th to April 12th, 2020 (lockdown), with participants’ pre-COVID-19 baselines from the previous year (N=940) to investigate pandemic distress mechanisms during New Zealand's first stringent national lockdown.

Physical activity may mediate pandemic effects on depression over time among older New Zealanders

“…That depression and anxiety did not increase in this population, despite the magnitude, unpredictability and deadliness of the fast-unfolding global pandemic in mid-2020, is remarkable. This finding aligns with those of other New Zealand longitudinal studies (Bulbulia et al, 2020;Sibley et al, 2020), and could reflect unique factors were at play in New Zealand in mid-2020 that likely contributed to lower distress; in particular, the very low rates of COVID-19 morbidity and mortality, and relatively high government trust and satisfaction at the time (Sibley et al, 2020). It also suggests a resilience among older people.…”