COVID-19 pandemic fear, life satisfaction and mental health at the initial stage of the pandemic in the largest cities in Poland

Abstract

ABSTRACT The study investigated whether the level of life satisfaction and general mental health was associated with COVID-19 worries at the initial stage of the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland. A cross-sectional observational study using an online questionnaire was conducted between 19 March and 27 April 2020, i.e. at the beginning of the epidemic in Poland. The study participants were residents of Poland over the age of 18 years. A total of 412 completed responses were received. The majority of respondents were women (75%), 84% respondents were mentally healthy and did not have any diagnosis of mental illnesses. Sixty-eight percent respondents indicated that they had been worried about the COVID-19 pandemic for the average of 21.75 days (SD +-16), while the median period from the onset of epidemic in Poland (20 March) to the participation in the study was 11 days. The main domains of concern included: death of loved ones (75%), severe course of illness in loved ones (72%), healthcare failure (64%), consequences of the pandemic at an individual and social level (64% and 63%, respectively). There was a significant medium decrease in the level of happiness and life satisfaction during the COVID-19 epidemic (p <.001).