Concerns Related to the COVID-19 in Adult Norwegians during the First Outbreak in 2020: A Qualitative Approach

Abstract

Concerns related to the first outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Norwegian population are studied in a cross-sectional web-survey conducted between 8 April and 20 May 2020. The qualitative thematic analysis of the open-ended question “Do you have other concerns related to the pandemic?”, followed a six-step process. Concerns from 1491 informants were analyzed, 34% of women and 30% of men (p = 0.05) provided concerns. Respondents with higher educational level reported concerns more often (86% vs. 83%, p = 0.022). The qualitative analysis revealed five themes—society, health, social activities, personal economy and duration—and 13 sub-themes, mostly related to the themes “society” and “health” (724 and 704, respectively). Empathy for others was prominent, for society (nationally and globally), but also concerns related to infecting others and family members at risk for developing serious illness if infected. The responses to the open-ended question yielded additional information, beyond the information obtained from questions with pre-categorized response options, especially related to concerns about society and health. Themes arising from the qualitative analysis shed light on what are important concerns for people during the pandemic and this may serve as targeted measures for the authorities.

Concerns in the Norwegian Population during the Initial Lockdown Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…For a small percentage (6.8%) their most prominent concern was not listed, but they had been given the opportunity to write these down. Examples of what they were concerned about were: the consequences for society and the duration of the pandemic just to mention a few [ 16 ].…”

“…Nine out of 10 avoided socializing with family and friends because of COVID-19. Additionally, in the United Kingdom, United States, Germany and China the main concern was for their family’s health [ 16 , 26 ]. According to Barzilay et al [ 17 ] being most concerned about family and friends during the pandemic may be related to “tend-and-befriend”, where in response to threat, humans tend to protect their close ones (tending) and seek out their social group for mutual defense (befriending) [ 27 ].…”

Students’ Mental Health, Well-Being, and Loneliness during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-National Study

“…Several studies during the COVID-19 pandemic have pointed to financial concerns as one of several possible reasons for mental health problems in the general population [ 43 , 44 , 62 ]. Fear of losing one’s job, or having problems with finding a job, may be particularly widespread among young people who are more often in a vulnerable economic situation.…”