Differences and similarities between the impact of the first and the second COVID-19-lockdown on mental health and safety behaviour in Germany.
COVID-19
depression
lockdown
mental health
pandemic fatigue
Journal
Journal of public health (Oxford, England)
ISSN: 1741-3850
Titre abrégé: J Public Health (Oxf)
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101188638
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
10 Dec 2021
10 Dec 2021
Historique:
received:
03
02
2021
revised:
03
02
2021
accepted:
06
02
2021
pubmed:
1
3
2021
medline:
6
1
2022
entrez:
28
2
2021
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Governmental restrictions of daily life are key elements in reducing the transmission of COVID-19, but they have also put a strain on people's mental health. Preventive policies differ all over the world as well as over different periods of time, and depend mostly on current infection rates. In Germany, there were two periods of restraint of varying severity, during which the government used different combinations of containment and mitigation measures to protect risk groups and to lower the number of hospitalizations. In two online studies, we aimed to determine differences and similarities in COVID-19-related fear, generalized anxiety, depression and distress levels, as well as in the adherence to safety behaviour between the first lockdown in March and April and the second lockdown in November. This study showed continued high psychological burden and even increased levels of depression symptoms, as well as less safety behaviour in the second phase of restrictions. The results hint at a prolonged negative impact on people's mental health and their safety behaviour despite lesser restrictions in the second lockdown, which may be interpreted as pandemic fatigue and hence strengthens the argument for a low-threshold access to psychological care.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Governmental restrictions of daily life are key elements in reducing the transmission of COVID-19, but they have also put a strain on people's mental health. Preventive policies differ all over the world as well as over different periods of time, and depend mostly on current infection rates. In Germany, there were two periods of restraint of varying severity, during which the government used different combinations of containment and mitigation measures to protect risk groups and to lower the number of hospitalizations.
METHODS
METHODS
In two online studies, we aimed to determine differences and similarities in COVID-19-related fear, generalized anxiety, depression and distress levels, as well as in the adherence to safety behaviour between the first lockdown in March and April and the second lockdown in November.
RESULTS
RESULTS
This study showed continued high psychological burden and even increased levels of depression symptoms, as well as less safety behaviour in the second phase of restrictions.
CONCLUSIONS
CONCLUSIONS
The results hint at a prolonged negative impact on people's mental health and their safety behaviour despite lesser restrictions in the second lockdown, which may be interpreted as pandemic fatigue and hence strengthens the argument for a low-threshold access to psychological care.
Identifiants
pubmed: 33640977
pii: 6151738
doi: 10.1093/pubmed/fdab037
pmc: PMC7989220
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
710-713Subventions
Organisme : Giessen University
Informations de copyright
© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.