Impacts of the Covid-19 lockdown and relevant vulnerabilities on capability well-being, mental health and social support: an Austrian survey study

Abstract

Background Impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and its public health measures go beyond physical and mental health and incorporate wider well-being impacts in terms of what people are free to do or be. We explored the impacts of the Covid-19 lockdown and relevant vulnerabilities on capability well-being, mental health and social support in Austria. Methods Adult Austrian residents (n = 560) provided responses to a cross-sectional online survey about their experiences during Covid-19 lockdown (15 March-15 April 2020). Instruments measuring capabilities (OxCAP-MH), depression and anxiety (HADS), social support (MSPSS) and mental well-being (WHO-5) were used in association with six pre-defined vulnerabilities using multivariable linear regression. Results 31% of the participants reported low mental well-being and only 30% of those with a history of mental health treatment received treatment during lockdown. Past mental health treatment had a significant negative effect across all outcome measures with an associated capability well-being score reduction of − 6.54 (95%CI, − 9.26, − 3.82). Direct Covid-19 experience and being ‘at risk’ due to age and/or physical health conditions were also associated with significant capability deprivations. When adjusted for vulnerabilities, significant capability reductions were observed in association with increased levels of depression (− 1.77) and anxiety (− 1.50), and significantly higher capability levels (+ 3.75) were associated with higher levels of social support. Compared to the cohort average, individual capability impacts varied between − 9% for those reporting past mental health treatment and + 5% for those reporting one score higher on the social support scale. Conclusions Our study is the first to assess the capability limiting aspects of lockdown and relevant vulnerabilities alongside their impacts on mental health and social support. The negative capability well-being, mental health and social support impacts of the Covid-19 lockdown were strongest for people with a history of mental health treatment. Future public health policies concerning lockdowns should pay special attention to improve social support levels in order to increase public resilience.

High health expenditures and low exposure of population to air pollution as critical factors that can reduce fatality rate in COVID-19 pandemic crisis: a global analysis

“…The most vulnerable groups include elderly, children, women, people with pre-existing health problems especially mental illnesses, subjects taking some types of medication including psychotropic drugs, individuals with low socio-economic status, and immigrants” ( Marazziti et al, 2021 ). Simon et al (2021) confirm that: “negative capability well-being, mental health and social support impacts of the Covid-19 lockdown were strongest for people with a history of mental health treatment. Future public health policies concerning lockdowns should pay special attention to improve social support levels in order to increase public resilience”.…”

Nutritional Impact and Its Potential Consequences on COVID-19 Severity

“…Reduction of sulphur-containing amino acids in the serum significantly reduces the hydroxyl radical scavenging activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) which helps to protect the host against viral infection (3,4). Thus, methionine deficiency can result in oxidative damage and lipid peroxidation, which will lead to a failure in cellular immunity.…”

“…As of May 20th 2021, variants of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 have infected more than 165 million people globally and resulted in 3.42 million deaths (3). Beyond prevalence and mortality, the restrictions and lockdown measures that are needed to control the COVID-19 pandemic evolved in a global economic and social crisis, severely affecting the people's well-being, mental health and social support (4). The direct consequences of COVID-19 on an individual represents a spectrum of clinical severity with some patients being asymptomatic or having only mild upper respiratory tract symptoms whilst some subjects have severe pneumonia characterised by fever, cough, dyspnoea, bilateral pulmonary infiltrates and acute respiratory injury requiring ventilation (5)(6)(7)(8).…”

Impacts on Children and Adolescents’ Lifestyle, Social Support and Their Association with Negative Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…However, such major lockdowns have also led to other changes in life. Many studies have highlighted the negative impact on physical and mental health [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ], such as more screen time and sedentary behavior [ 6 , 7 ], more emotional distress, feeling anxiety, fear, frustrations, and loneliness [ 8 ]. Like other infectious diseases and macro-level crises, such as malaria, plague, cholera, HIV/AIDS, and SARS, COVID-19 is a threat to life [ 9 ], but it may also be a contributor to change lifestyles and social life.…”