Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on mental health and quality of life among local residents in Liaoning Province, China: A cross-sectional study

Zhang, Yingfei; Ma, Zheng Feei

Abstract

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.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Online Publication Date: Mar 31, 2020
• Publication Date: Apr 1, 2020
• Deposit Date: Dec 8, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 8, 2022
• Journal: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
• Print ISSN: 1661-7827
• Electronic ISSN: 1660-4601
• Publisher: MDPI
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 17
• Issue: 7
• Pages: 2381
• Series Title: This article belongs to the Collection Outbreak of a Novel Coronavirus: A Global Health Threat
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17072381
• Keywords: Health; Toxicology; Mutagenesis; Public Health; Environmental health; Occupational Health; Coronavirus; Covid 19; Mental health; IES; Pandemic; Covid 19 Pandemic; China
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/10226847
• Publisher URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/7/2381
• Related Public URLs: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph/topical_collections/Novel_Coronavirus_2019