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Psychological consequences of COVID-19 home confinement: The ECLB-COVID19 multicenter study

  • Achraf Ammar
  • , Patrick Mueller
  • , Khaled Trabelsi
  • , Hamdi Chtourou
  • , Omar Boukhris
  • , Liwa Masmoudi
  • , Bassem Bouaziz
  • , Michael Brach
  • , Marlen Schmicker
  • , Ellen Bentlage
  • , Daniella How
  • , Mona Ahmed
  • , Asma Aloui
  • , Omar Hammouda
  • , Laisa Liane Paineiras-Domingos
  • , Annemarie Braakmanjansen
  • , Christian Wrede
  • , Sophia Bastoni
  • , Carlos Soares Pernambuco
  • , Leonardo Jose Mataruna-Dos-Santos
  • Morteza Taheri, Khadijeh Irandoust, Aïmen Khacharem, Nicola L. Bragazzi, Jad Adrian Washif, 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, Mohamed Romdhani, Nizar Souissi, Lisette Van Gemert-Pijnen, Stephen J. Bailey, Wassim Moalla, 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, Andrea Gaggioli, Piotr Zmijewski, Jürgen M. Steinacker, Jana Strahler, Laurel Riemann, Bryan L. Riemann, Notger Mueller, Karim Chamari, Tarak Driss, Anita Hoekelmann
  • Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg
  • Université Paris Nanterre
  • German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases
  • University of Sfax
  • National Observatory of Sport
  • University of Münster
  • Gafsa University
  • Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro
  • Faculdade Bezerra de Araújo
  • University of Twente
  • Catholic University of the Sacred Heart
  • Estácio de SáUniversity
  • Canadian University Dubai
  • Imam Khomeini International University
  • Université Polytechnique Hauts-de-France
  • University of Genoa
  • York University Toronto
  • National Sports Institute of Malaysia
  • University of Arkansas System
  • Stanford University
  • Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées
  • Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center
  • University of Thessaly
  • MGM Muthoot Hospitals Pathanamthitta
  • CRAFT Hospital and Research Centre
  • Assiut University
  • Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
  • Loughborough University
  • Government of Extremadura
  • E-Senior Association
  • University of Groningen
  • Ulm University
  • Yarmouk University
  • University of Jordan
  • Digital Research Centre of Sfax
  • University of Porto
  • Science and Research Centre Koper
  • IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano - Milano
  • Jozef Pilsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw
  • Justus Liebig University Giessen
  • PharmIAD Inc
  • Georgia Southern University
  • Qatar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital
  • University of Manouba

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

224 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background Public health recommendations and government measures during the COVID-19 pandemic have enforced restrictions on daily-living. While these measures are imperative to abate the spreading of COVID-19, the impact of these restrictions on mental health and emotional wellbeing is undefined. Therefore, an international online survey (ECLB-COVID19) was launched on April 6, 2020 in seven languages to elucidate the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on mental health and emotional wellbeing. Methods 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. All participants were asked for their mental wellbeing (SWEMWS) and depressive symptoms (SMFQ) with regard to "during"and "before"home confinement. Results Analysis was conducted on the first 1047 replies (54% women) from Asia (36%), Africa (40%), Europe (21%) and other (3%). The COVID-19 home confinement had a negative effect on both mental-wellbeing and on mood and feelings. Specifically, a significant decrease (p < .001 and Δ% = 9.4%) in total score of the SWEMWS questionnaire was noted. More individuals (+12.89%) reported a low mental wellbeing "during"compared to "before"home confinement. Furthermore, results from the mood and feelings questionnaire showed a significant increase by 44.9% (p < .001) in SMFQ total score with more people (+10%) showing depressive symptoms "during"compared to "before"home confinement. Conclusion The ECLB-COVID19 survey revealed an increased psychosocial strain triggered by the home confinement. To mitigate this high risk of mental disorders and to foster an Active and Healthy Confinement Lifestyle (AHCL), a crisis-oriented interdisciplinary intervention is urgently needed.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere0240204
JournalPLoS ONE
Volume15
Issue number11
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2020

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  1. SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
    SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Scopus Subject Areas

  • General

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