Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health and Quality of Life among Local Residents in Liaoning Province, China: A Cross-Sectional Study

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health Vol. 17; no. 7; p. 2381
• Main Authors: Zhang, Yingfei, Ma, Zheng Feei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 31-03-2020; MDPI
• Subjects: Adult; Age; Anxiety - epidemiology; Asian Continental Ancestry Group; Betacoronavirus; China - epidemiology; Coronavirus Infections - complications; Coronavirus Infections - psychology; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Cross-Sectional Studies; Digital media; Disease transmission; Emotions; Epidemics; Family; Family Health; Fear; Female; Females; Humans; Lifestyles; Male; Males; Mental Health; Middle Aged; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral - complications; Pneumonia, Viral - psychology; Population studies; Quality of Life; Questionnaires; SARS-CoV-2; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Social Support; Statistical analysis; Stress; Stress, Psychological; Studies; Surveys and Questionnaires; Young Adult; China; coronavirus; pandemic; China; IES; mental health
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17072381

Our study aimed to investigate the immediate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and quality of life among local Chinese residents aged ≥18 years in Liaoning Province, mainland China. An online survey was distributed through a social media platform between January and February 2020. Participants completed a modified validated questionnaire that assessed the Impact of Event Scale (IES), indicators of negative mental health impacts, social and family support, and mental health-related lifestyle changes. A total of 263 participants (106 males and 157 females) completed the study. The mean age of the participants was 37.7 ± 14.0 years, and 74.9% had a high level of education. The mean IES score in the participants was 13.6 ± 7.7, reflecting a mild stressful impact. Only 7.6% of participants had an IES score ≥26. The majority of participants (53.3%) did not feel helpless due to the pandemic. On the other hand, 52.1% of participants felt horrified and apprehensive due to the pandemic. Additionally, the majority of participants (57.8-77.9%) received increased support from friends and family members, increased shared feeling and caring with family members and others. In conclusion, the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with mild stressful impact in our sample, even though the COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing. These findings would need to be verified in larger population studies.