Impact of COVID-19 on Economic Well-Being and Quality of Life of the Vietnamese During the National Social Distancing

Abstract

Starting from April 1st, 2020, the nationwide partial lockdown in Vietnam has shown the effectiveness in stopping the community transmission of COVID-19, however, it also produced adverse impacts on the economy and inhabitants' life. A cross-sectional study using a web-based approach was conducted in the second week of April 2020 to examine the influence of the national social distancing on the quality of life and economic well-being of Vietnamese citizens under COVID-19 pandemic. The data included socioeconomic characteristics, impact of COVID-19 on household income, health status, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Ordered logistic regression and multivariable Tobit regression model were employed to examine factors correlated to income change and HRQOL. Results showed that among 341 participants, 66.9% reported household income loss due to the impact of COVID-19. People holding undergraduate degrees, working in other sectors rather than healthcare, and having definite-term contract had a higher likelihood of income reduction. The mean score of EQ-5D-5L and EQ-VAS was 0.95 (± 0.07) and 88.2 (± 11.0), respectively. The domain of Anxiety/Depression had the highest proportion of reporting any problems among 5 dimensions of EQ-5D-5L (38.7%). Being female, having chronic conditions and living in the family with 3-5 members were associated with lower HRQOL scores. A comprehensive assessment of the influence of COVID-19 along with public health interventions, especially mental health programs, should be implemented to mitigate the negative effects of this pandemic on the economic status and quality of life of citizens.

Correlates of Financial Concerns and Symptoms of Depression and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Impoverished Urban-dwelling Individuals in Bangladesh During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Face-to-face Interview Findings

“…The financial impact of COVID-19 was assessed by asking, "How has your family's monthly income changed due to the impact of COVID-19?". There were three possible responses ⅰdecreased; (ⅱ) increased; (ⅲ) unchanged, as previously reported (Tran et al, 2020).…”

“…In the present study, 96.3% of respondents reported a decrease in their household income due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This rate is higher than those in Vietnam (66.9%) (Tran et al, 2020) and India (45.6%) (Keelery, 2020). The disparity could be attributable to differences in economic structures and major markets between countries.…”

A US population health survey on the impact of COVID-19 using the EQ-5D-5L

“…15 The EQ-5D-5L has been validated in hundreds of countries and languages, providing a standardized approach to measure and compare health within and across nations. 15 Since the pandemic began, the EQ-5D-5L has been used to assess HRQoL in the Netherlands, 18 Germany, 19 France, 20 Morocco, 21 China, 22 Hong Kong, 23 Vietnam, 24 and Spain 25 in various contexts including the general public, those with speci c diseases, and healthcare providers; these studies have shown an overall decline in HRQoL, and pronounced worsening of anxiety and depression. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of COVID-19 on US population health using the EQ-5D-5L.…”

Mental Health During COVID-19: Tam Giao and Vietnam's Response

“…COVID-19, unlike the previous SARS disease, is markedly transmissible, necessitating swift and stricter interventions such as quarantining (1). Vietnam's broad response was successful in containing the spread of the virus, but poses considerations for subsequent precipitated mental health concerns specific to pandemic (responses) (18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24). Some studies of Vietnam have shown that social distancing and isolation measures can be associated with high rates of post-traumatic stress (20) and increased rates of depression/anxiety (24), especially those present in hospitals suspected of having COVID-19 symptoms (22).…”

“…Vietnam's broad response was successful in containing the spread of the virus, but poses considerations for subsequent precipitated mental health concerns specific to pandemic (responses) (18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24). Some studies of Vietnam have shown that social distancing and isolation measures can be associated with high rates of post-traumatic stress (20) and increased rates of depression/anxiety (24), especially those present in hospitals suspected of having COVID-19 symptoms (22). Quarantining, which Vietnam has been aggressively employing, can impose psychological strain related to stigma, financial constraint, and guilt (18,19).…”