Psychological distress associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and suppression measures during the first wave in Belgium

Abstract

Background The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent suppression measures have had health and social implications for billions of individuals. The aim of this paper is to investigate the risk of psychological distress associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and suppression measures during the early days of the lockdown. We compared the level of psychological distress at the beginning of that period with a pre-pandemic health survey and assessed the psychological effects of exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic and changes in social activity and support. Methods An online survey was distributed to the general population in Belgium 3 days after the beginning of the lockdown. 20,792 respondents participated. The psychological distress of the population was measured using the GHQ-12 scale. Social activities and support were assessed using the Social Participation Measure, the Short Loneliness Scale, and the Oslo Social Support Scale. An index of subjective exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic was constructed, as well as a measure of change in occupational status. Measurements were compared to a representative sample of individuals extracted from the Belgian Health Interview Survey of 2018. Bootstrapping was performed and analyses were reweighted to match the Belgian population in order to control for survey selection bias. Results Half of the respondents reported psychological distress in the early days of the lockdown. A longer period of confinement was associated with higher risk of distress. Women and younger age groups were more at risk than men and older age groups, as were respondents who had been exposed to COVID-19. Changes in occupational status and a decrease in social activity and support also increased the risk of psychological distress. Comparing the results with those of the 2018 Belgian Health Interview shows that the early period of the lockdown corresponded to a 2.3-fold increase in psychological distress (95% CI: 2.16–2.45). Conclusions Psychological distress is associated with the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and suppression measures. The association is measurable from the very earliest days of confinement and it affected specific at-risk groups. Authorities should consider ways of limiting the effect of confinement on the mental and social health of the population and developing strategies to mitigate the adverse consequences of suppression measures.

Prevalence, New Incidence, Course, and Risk Factors of PTSD, Depression, Anxiety, and Panic Disorder during the Covid-19 Pandemic in 11 Countries

“…We did not investigate the effect of loneliness and low social support on mental health, but a study among young Belgium people found these factors to be the main predictors of mental distress [49]. Another study in Belgium found psychological distress to be associated with the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic and containment measures [50]. Furthermore, Polish respondents reported the highest prevalence of depression and the highest new incidence of panic disorder (presumed diagnosis based on positive screening results).…”

The Impact of Different Coping Styles on Psychological Distress during the COVID-19: The Mediating Role of Perceived Stress

“…Preventive measures and social distancing requirements have been developed and mandated to contain the spread of the virus and are still ongoing in specific regions [33]. College students have faced a number of challenges, such as sudden closures of university dormitories, cancellation of all in-person instruction and field placements (e.g., practicums and internships), the loss of off-campus jobs that require in-person contact, lack of in-person social support from peers and instructors, and a dramatic reduction in outdoor physical activities [34]. According to Lazarus [35], perceived stress is experienced subjectively by an individual, who might identify an imbalance between the demands placed on them and the available resources to deal such demands.…”

Mental health, compliance with measures and health prospects during the COVID-19 epidemic: the role of health literacy

“…Furthermore, the spread of the coronavirus and the confinement measures that have been taken to prevent this spread may impact the mental health of the general population [12,[14][15][16]. Indeed, researchers in many countries found that the mental health of the population has deteriorated since the outbreak of the virus [17][18][19][20][21][22]. So far, the relationship between health literacy and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic has solely been explored in three studies, the results of which suggest a buffering effect of health literacy [23][24][25].…”