Mental health, quality of life, wellbeing, loneliness and use of social media in a time of social distancing during the COVID-19 outbreak. A cross-country comparative study

Amy Østertun Geirdal,Mary Ruffolo,Janni Leung,Hilde Thygesen,Daicia Price,Tore Bonsaksen,Mariyana Schoultz

doi:10.1080/09638237.2021.1875413

Abstract

Background The COVID-19 outbreak raised questions about how people experience their mental health, quality of life (QoL), wellbeing and loneliness in the context of social distancing, and the use of social media during this time Aims To examine the experience of mental health, QoL, wellbeing and loneliness and use of social media among people living in Norway, USA, UK and Australia. Methods A cross-country comparative survey of people living in Norway, USA, UK and Australia. Relevant statistical analyses were used to examine differences between the countries and to explore associations between demographic, mental health and psychosocial variables and use of social media. Results There were 3810 respondents from four countries, of which 50 − 74% showed a high level of emotional distress. The Norwegian population reported significantly better mental health, QoL and wellbeing and lower levels of loneliness compared to the other countries. High-frequent use of social media after the COVID-19 outbreak was associated with poorer mental- and psychosocial health. Conclusions The results suggest that the COVID-19 outbreak took a toll on people’s experience of mental health, QoL, wellbeing and experienced loneliness, and high-frequent use of social media was associated with these factors.

Highlights

When the full coronavirus outbreak was declared a pandemic in the beginning of March 2020, stringent recommendations, rules and laws were introduced in countries around the world, including across Europe, America and Australia
When it comes to social media use after the outbreak, Australia had significantly less sample who engaged in highfrequency social media use compared to the other countries (57% versus 79% Norway, 66% United Kingdom (UK), 77% USA, p < 0.001)
This study aimed to examine how individuals in Norway, USA, UK and Australia experience mental health, overall quality of life (QoL), wellbeing and loneliness and use of social media in the context of COVID-19 and social distancing

Summary

Introduction

When the full coronavirus outbreak was declared a pandemic in the beginning of March 2020, stringent recommendations, rules and laws were introduced in countries around the world, including across Europe, America and Australia. In Norway, these recommendations resulted in a lockdown of the country which were introduced March 12th,from March 17th in USA, 18 and 21 March, respectively in United Kingdom (UK) and Australia (see Table 1). The COVID-19 outbreak raised questions about how people experience their mental health, quality of life (QoL), wellbeing and loneliness in the context of social distancing, and the use of social media during this time Aims: To examine the experience of mental health, QoL, wellbeing and loneliness and use of social media among people living in Norway, USA, UK and Australia. High-frequent use of social media after the COVID-19 outbreak was associated with poorer mental- and psychosocial health. Conclusions: The results suggest that the COVID-19 outbreak took a toll on people’s experience of mental health, QoL, wellbeing and experienced loneliness, and high-frequent use of social media was associated with these factors

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