In a recent study published within the journal Economic Inquiry, researchers evaluate the consequences of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the mental well-being of United Kingdom residents.

Study: Locked down in distress: a quasi-experimental estimation of the mental-health fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. Image Credit: Ground Picture / Shutterstock.com

The impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on mental health

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak-related lockdowns and social isolation measures have profoundly affected the psychiatric well-being of people. SARS-CoV-2 containment policies have modified people’s lives, impacted their psychological well-being, and can have increased distress. Thus, it’s critical to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on mental health to make educated judgments regarding government motion and future pandemics.

Understanding the extent of the pandemic’s impact on socioeconomically diverse populations is critical for informing policy and mitigating its negative impacts. Previous research has targeting documenting the pandemic’s population impact and inequities, with limited studies addressing the moderators driving the pandemic’s consequences for mental health.

Concerning the study

The researchers analyzed U.K. Household Longitudinal Study (UKHLS) data using difference-in-difference (DiD) techniques to evaluate the consequences of the initial COVID-19 wave on psychiatric well-being. As well as, the team explored moderators or aspects that would predict the relative extent of the detrimental impact of COVID-19.

The consequence variable for psychiatric well-being within the UKHLS dataset was the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) to measure subjective well-being. The dataset included information for 50,000 adults concerning their employment, lifestyle, socio-economic circumstances, family relationships, and psychiatric wellness. These data were obtained between 2009 and 2020, with all individuals re-interviewing every year.

From April 2020 onward, UKHLS participants were asked to finish a monthly web-based survey on socio-demographic variables, GHQ-12, and subjective financial health (SFH). As well as, lagged SFH values were utilized in a separate model specification to research whether economic concerns within the previous pre-pandemic yr predicted psychological health impacts in the course of the initial COVID-19 wave.

Variations in psychiatric well-being were determined by the extent of loneliness using lagged and continuous values. The effect of household density on COVID-19-related psychological distress was also investigated, with household density calculated by dividing the variety of household residents by the variety of bedrooms.

The psychological alterations for people interviewed before and after March 23, 2020, the lockdown commencement date within the U.K., were determined and compared with those interviewed before and after the corresponding date within the previous yr. May 31, 2020, was chosen because the endpoint, because the initial national lockdown measures were significantly reduced thereafter.

Study findings

Higher mental discomfort was observed amongst U.K. residents in the course of the first COVID-19 wave, with more severe impacts reported amongst younger individuals, females, migrants, and people from the Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) group, which aligns with previous studies. Moreover, lonely people, those with financial problems, and folks living in congested places had much lower mental health.

Roughly 70% of people reported their economic status as comfortable or adequate. The mean values for subjective well-being documented from June 2018 to May 2019 and the corresponding period of the next yr were 11 and 12 points, respectively.

The impact on female psychological health was projected to be greater than double that of men. Moving from the baseline of absent or infrequent loneliness to the occasional group nearly quadrupled the psychiatric well-being impact to 1.8 from 0.7.

Meanwhile, the transition from occasional to frequent loneliness reflected the next rise than the mean population impact of 1.8 to 2.7 in comparison with 0.9. Each additional individual in a bedroom reduced the COVID-19 mental health effect by almost 50%.

A person reporting absent or rare loneliness without economic worries and residing in averagely crowded housing, which was defined as 0.9 people in each bedroom post-pandemic, would have undergone a less severe mental health decline. In contrast, a person experiencing financial hardship and loneliness in overcrowded houses would have experienced significantly worse psychiatric health degradation than the typical population impact at 3.4 in comparison with 0.9 respectively.

The GHQ-12 findings indicated that the primary COVID-19 wave resulted in a 0.9-point increase in psychological distress. In comparison with the identical period the previous yr, the mean estimated health loss between March 23, 2020, and May 31, 2020, amongst U.K. residents equated to 50-66% of the anticipated effect of unemployment on psychiatric well-being. This significantly exceeded the influence of other negative health correlates, resembling widowhood and divorce.

Conclusions

Overall, the study findings highlighted the impact of COVID-19 on the psychiatric well-being of U.K. residents, particularly those that are financially stressed, have a high household density, or are lonely. Thus, individuals who feel most accountable for their money and are least prone to be lonely usually tend to have the financial means and social support required to take care of the obstacles posed by COVID-19.

Increased psychological anguish could also be brought on by crowding stress and lockdown constraints. Future studies should assess the extent of COVID-19 recovery and long-term psychiatric consequences, including behavioral changes produced by living with the disease permanently.