Boxed in: changes in apartment residents’ health behaviours following the COVID-19 lockdown – a longitudinal cohort study

Abstract

ABSTRACT Australia’s housing context has long been characterised by low-rise detached homes, but rapid population growth has prompted a recent boom in apartment construction. Apartment residents may be more vulnerable to the negative impacts of COVID-19 stay-at-home orders due to the distinct constraints and stressors of apartment housing, but empirical research on this population is scarce. This study adds to the literature on the health impacts of lockdowns by examining longitudinal changes in the health behaviours of Australian apartment residents. Participants (n = 159) completed a survey between 2017–2019 and a follow-up survey in 2020 following a six-week national lockdown. Residents reported increased walking for recreation, sleep duration, and home cooking frequency, but decreased walking for transport, greater sitting time, and weight gain. Alcohol consumption remained stable. The findings highlight the complex and multifaceted impact of the pandemic, with some health behaviour changes highlighting the benefits of having more time to devote to certain activities, and others showing the unintended negative health consequences of lockdowns. Given the likelihood of future pandemics, a renewed policy focus on apartment space and layout provisions that better facilitate home-based activity is required to mitigate the health risks of lockdown conditions for those living in apartments.