Does It Matter Who You Live with during COVID-19 Lockdown? Association of Living Arrangements with Psychosocial Health, Life Satisfaction, and Quality of Life: A Pilot Study.

Zijun Xu,Peter Man-Hin Cheung,Rym Chung-Man Lee,Samuel Yeung-Shan Wong,Xiaoyang Yu,Zihuang Zhang,Xiaoxiang Zheng,Dexing Zhang

doi:10.3390/ijerph19031827

Abstract

Background: Living arrangements might greatly impact psychosocial health and quality of life, particularly during the COVID-19 lockdown. This pilot study aimed to examine the association of different common living arrangements with psychosocial health, life satisfaction, and quality of life among Chinese adults during the COVID-19 lockdown. Methods: An anonymous online survey was conducted using convenience sampling through the WeChat application in February 2020. Mental health (Patient Health Questionnaire-2, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2, post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, Patient Health Questionnaire-15, and meaning in life), social health (UCLA-3), quality of life (EQ5D and EQ-VAS), and life satisfaction were measured. Linear regression models were used. Result: The study included 1245 adults (mean age: 34.14 ± 10.71) in China. Compared to other living arrangements, participants who “live with partner and children” or “live with partner, children and parents” were more likely to have better outcomes of mental health, social health, quality of life, and life satisfaction. Participants who “live with parents or grandparents” or “live with partner” were more likely to have better health outcomes compared with those who “live with children” or “live alone”. Conclusion: Living with a partner, children, and/or parents could be a protective factor against poor psychosocial health during lockdown and quarantine.

Highlights

Participants who lived with a partner, children, and/or parents tended to have better psychosocial health, followed by those who lived with a partner or parents, while those living with children or living alone had the poorest psychosocial health
Soares et al pointed out that those living in large households were associated with a better quality of life than those living in small households or alone [39], with evidence supporting that living with a larger number of people during the COVID-19 outbreak was associated with better mental health and life satisfaction [40]
This study examined the association of living arrangements with psychosocial health, life satisfaction, and quality of life during the COVID-19 lockdown, and it can help to provide a better understanding of the relationship between mental health and the role of living with different family members during the lockdown, as well as provide a further reference for lockdown and quarantine arrangements for residents during the COVID-19 pandemic or other crises

Summary

Introduction

COVID-19 and Lockdown Situation in and Outside of China. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been a global pandemic [1]. Due to the high infectivity of and human susceptibility to COVID-19, the Chinese government has adopted strict lockdown measures in many cities in China since January 2020, taking several measures to prevent the spread of the disease, including social distancing, self-isolation, and personal protection equipment [4]. Many public facilities, such as gyms, museums, 4.0/)

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