Silver Linings Reported by Australians Experiencing Public Health Restrictions during the First Phase of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Report

Abstract

This national study investigated the positives reported by residents experiencing the large-scale public health measures instituted in Australia to manage the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Most Australians had not previously experienced the traditional public health measures used (social distancing, hand hygiene and restriction of movement) and which could potentially impact negatively on mental well-being. The research design included qualitative semi-structured phone interviews where participants described their early pandemic experiences. Data analysis used a rapid identification of themes technique, well-suited to large-scale qualitative research. The ninety participants (mean age 48 years; 70 women) were distributed nationally. Analysis revealed five themes linked with mental well-being and the concept of silver linings: safety and security, gratitude and appreciation, social cohesion and connections, and opportunities to reset priorities and resilience. Participants demonstrated support for the public health measures and evidence of individual and community resilience. They were cognisant of positives despite personal curtailment and negative impacts of public health directives. Stories of hope, strength, and acceptance, innovative connections with others and focusing on priorities and opportunities within the hardship were important strategies that others could use in managing adversity.

Australians' experiences of COVID-19 during the early months of the crisis: A qualitative interview study

“…Complementing other Australian studies' findings (27,28,30,32) on the "silver linings" of the pandemic experience for Australians, some of our participants also described adapting their routines in ways that helped them deal with the stresses of the first wave and reported benefits of a slower lifestyle during lockdown. Those participants who reported few changes to their lives were older retired people in good health already living a quiet life in a rural area.…”

“…However, other studies have highlighted the "silver linings" that Australians described during this time, including support for the public health measures due to feelings of safety and security, gratitude that the government was taking strong action to protect its citizens, and the opportunity to make stronger connections in the community, reset life priorities and to build resilience (27). While some people's mental health was negatively affected by lockdowns, others developed effective coping strategies and ways of offering social support and connecting to their communities (28).…”

Social Cohesion and Covid-19: an integrative review

“…Sixteen of the pieces of work involved an analysis of two or more nations [39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54] ; twelve were based in the United Kingdom 27,[55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64][65] ; seven in the United States of America [66][67][68][69][70][71][72] ; four each in Germany [73][74][75][76] , Australia [77][78][79][80] and Aotearoa-NZ [81][82][83][84] ; two each in Iran 85,86 and South Africa 87,…”

“…Forty of the papers focused their reporting on the collection and/or analysis of empirical data. Twenty-two of these used only quantitative data 47, 48, 51, 56, 58, 65, 67, 69-71, 73, 75, 78, 80, 82, 91, 92, 95, 97-100 , thirteen of these used only qualitative data 49,50,55,63,64,68,77,79,83,86,87,90,94 and five of these used a combination of the two [59][60][61][62]93 . Three papers combined theoretical and quantitative analysis 57,74,76 .…”

“…Accounts which emphasised group members' working together or their choice to act for the good of the collective expressed these behaviours in reference to collective action 39,42,43,52,55,65,66,79,80,87,99 , co-operation 42,76,90,97,98 , collaboration 53,88 , limited conflicts of interest 45 , the pursuit of a shared goal 49 , enactment of social or civic responsibility 27,47,50,55,87 , a latent orientation to the common good 66,75,86 , mutual aid 45,85 , altruism 66,78 and solidarity 45,46,49,50,66,91,103 . In this respect, Garber and Vinetz 66 consider the tension between adjacent processes of individualised identity and low trust in public officials, and the importance of cohesion as collective buy-in for public health interventions such as mask wearing.…”