Living Alone or Together During Lockdown: Association with Mood, Immune Fitness and Experiencing COVID-19 Symptoms

Abstract

Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate whether or not living alone or together throughout the lockdown had an impact on mood, perceived immune fitness, as well as the presence and severity of COVID-19 symptoms. Methods N = 505 participants completed an online survey, which included questions on living situations, as well as mood, perceived immune fitness and COVID-19 symptom presence and severity. These factors were assessed retrospectively for the time periods before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results An overall decrease in mood was observed for both those living alone and together during the lockdown period. However, significantly larger increases in feelings of loneliness were observed for the group living alone. Furthermore, both groups reported decreases in perceived immune fitness, whereas only the group living alone reported a significant increase in COVID-19 symptom presence and severity. Moreover, significant correlations were found between perceived immune fitness, anxiety, and loneliness. These correlations were strongest in the group living alone. Lastly, positive correlations were found between perceived immune fitness and mood outcomes with being active, optimistic and the ability to cope with stress. Increased optimism, being more active and the adequate ability to cope with stress were associated with a reduced negative impact on perceived immune fitness. Conclusion The first COVID-19 lockdown period in the Netherlands was a challenging period for both people who lived alone and those living together, resulting in decreases in mood and poorer perceived immune fitness. Those living alone were, however, more heavily impacted by the lockdown restrictions. This was further reflected by the increased presence and severity of COVID-19 symptoms in people who lived alone during the first COVID-19 lockdown in The Netherlands.

Impaired wound healing is associated with poorer mood and reduced perceived immune fitness during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A retrospective survey

“…This has also been reported in several other studies that evaluated these parameters in the general population, using a comparable survey methodology and used the same assessment scales. 51 , 52 Thus, the current findings are in line with previous research. The study adds to the literature that these effects are significantly more pronounced in individuals with self‐reported impaired wound healing.…”

“…In the current study, across both groups, the COVID‐19 lockdown periods were associated with negative mood, reduced quality of life, and poorer immune fitness. This has also been reported in several other studies that evaluated these parameters in the general population, using a comparable survey methodology and used the same assessment scales 51,52 . Thus, the current findings are in line with previous research.…”

Do COVID-19 Incidence and Government Intervention Influence Media Indices?

“…This can be explained by a higher level of uncertainty that comes with major disruption in public's lifestyle. This is in line with previous research that links lockdown to elevated levels of anxiety (Gan et al, 2021;Hendriksen et al, 2021) and panic buying (Hall et al, 2021;Elek, et al, 2021, Keane andNeal, 2021). The economic support index has negative coefficients as expected but are insignificant unlike Keane and Neal (2021) who found a very short-term positive effect.…”

Alcohol Consumption on the Heaviest Drinking Occasion and Hangovers during the First Dutch COVID-19 Lockdown

“…Further, while the reduction in alcohol consumption may be associated with positive health effects, the lockdown itself was associated with other negative health outcomes. These included significant reductions in social and psychological wellbeing, particularly among young adults [ 55 , 56 ]. Of note is that the observed effects on alcohol consumption are temporary and last only as long as lockdowns are enforced.…”