Relationships between Physical and Social Behavioural Changes and the Mental Status of Homebound Residents in Hong Kong during the COVID-19 Pandemic

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health Vol. 17; no. 18; p. 6653
• Main Authors: Fong, Ben Y F, Wong, Martin C S, Law, Vincent T S, Lo, Man Fung, Ng, Tommy K C, Yee, Hilary H L, Leung, Tiffany C H, Ho, Percy W T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 12.09.2020; MDPI
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Anxiety; Betacoronavirus; Coronavirus Infections - psychology; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Depression - epidemiology; Disease control; Disease transmission; Education; Employment; Gender; Health Status; Hong Kong; Humans; Mental depression; Mental Health; Pandemics; Physical fitness; Pneumonia, Viral - psychology; Questionnaires; SARS-CoV-2; Social Behavior; Social distancing; Social research; Social support; Statistical analysis; Stress; Surveys and Questionnaires; Variance analysis; Young Adult; Hong Kong; Hong Kong China; China; COVID-19; physical health changes; social contact; social distancing; Patient Health Questionnaire-9
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17186653

In Hong Kong, social distancing has been adopted in order to minimise the spread of COVID-19. This study aims to examine the changes in physical health, mental health, and social well-being experienced by local residents who were homebound during the pandemic. An online questionnaire in both Chinese and English versions was completed by 590 eligible participants from 24 April to 13 May 2020. The questionnaire found that individuals aged 18 to 25 years spent more time resting and relaxing but experienced more physical strain. Working status was associated with social contact, with participants working full-time jobs scoring higher in "maintaining social communication via electronic means" and "avoiding social activities outside the home". Additionally, approximately one third of the participants (29.7%) had moderate to severe depression, and participants aged 18 to 25 were found to have higher scores in PHQ-9. Changes in physical health and social contact were significantly associated with developing depressive symptoms. From the results, it is clear that the COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to exert a negative impact on the mental health status of individuals.