Coping mechanisms during the COVID‐19 pandemic and lockdown in metropolitan Johannesburg, South Africa: A qualitative study

Abstract

BackgroundThe COVID‐19 pandemic has caused prolonged stress on numerous fronts. While the acute health impacts of psychosocial stress due to the pandemic are well‐documented, less is known about the resources and mechanisms utilized to cope in response to stresses during the pandemic and lockdown.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to identify and describe the coping mechanisms adults utilized in response to the stressors of the COVID‐19 pandemic during the 2020 South African lockdown.MethodsThis study included adults (n = 47: 32 female; 14 male; 1 non‐binary) from the greater Johannesburg region in South Africa. Interviews with both closed and open‐ended questions were administered to query topics regarding the COVID‐19 pandemic. Data were coded and thematically analyzed to identify coping mechanisms and experiences.ResultsAdults engaged in a variety of strategies to cope with the pandemic and the ensued lockdown. The ability to access or engage in multiple coping mechanisms were either enhanced or constrained by financial and familial situations. Participants engaged in seven major coping mechanisms: interactions with family and friends, prayer and religion, staying active, financial resources, mindset reframing, natural remedies, and following COVID‐19 prevention protocols.ConclusionsDespite the multiple stressors faced during the pandemic and lockdown, participants relied on multiple coping strategies which helped preserve their well‐being and overcome pandemic‐related adversity. The strategies participants engaged in were impacted by access to financial resources and family support. Further research is needed to examine the potential impacts these strategies may have on people's health.

Coping strategies employed by public psychiatric healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in southern Gauteng, South Africa

“…Social support was one of the most endorsed coping strategies [ 15 ], which is notable in the role that relationships may play in decreasing the risk of mortality [ 44 ] and mental health issues [ 45 , 46 ]. Family support specifically has been linked with increased active coping [ 47 ] and decreased emotional exhaustion [ 48 ], perhaps providing an explanation for its importance in our sample.…”

Psychosocial stress, adult suicidal ideation, and the mediating effect of poor sleep quality during the COVID‐19 pandemic in South Africa

“…Studies on community‐based samples and healthcare workers have found similar adverse psychological outcomes due to pandemic‐related stressors, including elevated risks for adult depression, anxiety, post‐traumatic stress disorder, and bipolar disorder (De Man et al, 2022; Engelbrecht et al, 2021; Kim et al, 2021; Kim et al, 2023). Researchers have also identified the buffering and protective effects of positive social experiences against pandemic‐related stress, including individual coping, social support, health education, and adaptations to clinical practice, to maintain psychological well‐being (Engelbrecht et al, 2021; Kim et al, 2023; Paredes‐Ruvalcaba et al, 2023; Scheunemann et al, 2023). Nevertheless, active SARS‐CoV‐2 transmission, chronic shortages in mental healthcare infrastructure, and the persistence of the psychological, health, and socioeconomic repercussions of the pandemic raise pressing concerns about the current mental health burdens of the pandemic in South Africa (Docrat et al, 2019).…”

Four Years Since COVID-19 Day Zero: A Time to Evaluate Past and Future Pandemic Control Policies and Practices in Sub-Saharan Africa?

“… 22 Persons considered to be particularly vulnerable, for example, the elderly, the immune compromised and those with cancer were required to shield for weeks or months on end, often to the detriment of their mental and physical health. 23 However, whether these NPIs had a significant benefit on case growth is the subject of ongoing research. 24 …”

“…22 Persons considered to be particularly vulnerable, for example, the elderly, the immune compromised and those with cancer were required to shield for weeks or months on end, often to the detriment of their mental and physical health. 23 However, whether these NPIs had a significant benefit on case growth is the subject of ongoing research. 24 Healthcare facilities and personnel were so overwhelmed with caring for patients with COVID-19 that many routine services, and even cancer screening and treatment, were severely reduced or stopped altogether.…”