Effects of home confinement on mental health and lifestyle behaviours during the COVID-19 outbreak: Insights from the ECLB-COVID19 multicentre study

Achraf Ammar, Khaled Trabelsi, Michael Brach, Hamdi Chtourou, Omar Boukhris, Liwa Masmoudi, Bassem Bouaziz, Ellen Bentlage, Daniella How, Mona Ahmed, Patrick Mueller, Notger Mueller, Omar Hammouda, Laisa Liane Paineiras-Domingos, Annemarie Braakman-Jansen, Christian Wrede, Sophia Bastoni, Carlos Soares Pernambuco, Leonardo Mataruna, Morteza TaheriKhadijeh Irandoust, Aïmen Khacharem, Nicola L. Bragazzi, Jana Strahler, Jad Adrian, Albina Andreeva, Jordan M. Glenn, Nicholas T. Bott, Faiez Gargouri, Lotfi Chaari, Hadj Batatia, Samira C. Khoshnami, Evangelia Samara, Vasiliki Zisi, Parasanth Sankar, Waseem N. Ahmed, Gamal Mohamed Ali, Osama Abdelkarim, Mohamed Jarraya, Kais El Abed, Wassim Moalla, Mohamed Romdhani, Asma Aloui, Nizar Souissi, Lisette van Gemert-Pijnen, Bryan L. Riemann, Laurel Riemann, Jan Delhey, Jonathan Gómez-Raja, Monique Epstein, Robbert Sanderman, Sebastian Schulz, Achim Jerg, Ramzi Al-Horani, Taysir Mansi, Mohamed Jmail, Fernando Barbosa, Fernando Ferreira-Santos, Boštjan Šimunič, Rado Pišot, Saša Pišot, Andrea Gaggioli, Piotr Zmijewski, Stephen J. Bailey, Jürgen Steinacker, Karim Chamari, Tarak Driss, Anita Hoekelmann

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

259 Scopus citations

Abstract

Although recognised as effective measures to curb the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak, social distancing and self-isolation have been suggested to generate a burden throughout the population. To provide scientific data to help identify risk factors for the psychosocial strain during the COVID-19 outbreak, an international cross-disciplinary online survey was circulated in April 2020. This report outlines the mental, emotional and behavioural consequences of COVID-19 home confinement. The ECLB-COVID19 electronic survey was designed by a steering group of multidisciplinary scientists, following a structured review of the literature. The survey was uploaded and shared on the Google online survey platform and was promoted by thirty-five research organizations from Europe, North Africa, Western Asia and the Americas. Questions were presented in a differential format with questions related to responses “before” and “during” the confinement period. 1047 replies (54% women) from Western Asia (36%), North Africa (40%), Europe (21%) and other continents (3%) were analysed. The COVID-19 home confinement evoked a negative effect on mental wellbeing and emotional status (P < 0.001; 0.43 ≤ d ≤ 0.65) with a greater proportion of individuals experiencing psychosocial and emotional disorders (+10% to +16.5%). These psychosocial tolls were associated with unhealthy lifestyle behaviours with a greater proportion of individuals experiencing (i) physical (+15.2%) and social (+71.2%) inactivity, (ii) poor sleep quality (+12.8%), (iii) unhealthy diet behaviours (+10%), and (iv) unemployment (6%). Conversely, participants demonstrated a greater use (+15%) of technology during the confinement period. These findings elucidate the risk of psychosocial strain during the COVID-19 home confinement period and provide a clear remit for the urgent implementation of technology-based intervention to foster an Active and Healthy Confinement Lifestyle AHCL).

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)9-21
Number of pages13
JournalBiology of Sport
Volume38
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 2021

Keywords

  • Behaviours
  • Depression
  • Mental wellbeing
  • Pandemic
  • Public health
  • Satisfaction

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