Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing measures targeting the transmission of the virus impacted everyday life in 2020. This study investigated pre- to in-pandemic changes in health behaviors and depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic and the role of personality traits in these changes in Finland. Data from a larger population-based cohort study of 51–59-year-old Finnish women were used (n = 358). Self-reported questionnaires gathered information about depressive symptoms, eating behavior, physical activity, and alcohol consumption before the pandemic time, at the onset, and at the end of the COVID-19 emergency conditions. Information about personality traits (extraversion and neuroticism) and sociodemographic factors was available from the pre-pandemic baseline. Women reported more depressive symptoms and unhealthier eating habits at the end of the emergency conditions compared to the pre-pandemic time. An increase in depressive symptoms was associated with changing to unhealthier eating habits. Higher extraversion was associated with a perceived decrease in alcohol consumption and with changing to healthier eating habits. Women with higher neuroticism reported changing to either healthier or unhealthier eating habits. In general, some women reported healthier lifestyle changes while other women reported the opposite. Personality traits help to understand these individual differences in adaptation to the pandemic situation.
Highlights
The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was discovered at the end of 2019 and rapidly spread all over the world
At the EsmiRs baseline compared to participants who did not respond to either of the in-pandemic questionnaires and were subsequently not analyzed in the present study (n = 136). They did not differ in marital status, work situation, or any other study variables at the baseline
Changes in eating habits were associated with other changes, i.e., participants who changed their eating habits in an unhealthier direction were more likely to report an increase in depressive symptoms and alcohol consumption as well as a decrease in physical activity
Summary
The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was discovered at the end of 2019 and rapidly spread all over the world. In order to try to prevent and suppress community transmission, restrictions and recommendations focused on physical distancing [1]. Even though these measures varied between countries from nationwide lockdowns to some social distancing recommendations, the COVID-19 pandemic affected everyday life in all countries. People over 70 years of age were recommended to avoid human contact [2]. Work situation and changes in it were enquired about in the in-pandemic-I and -II questionnaires with several questions asking about participants’. Work situation and type of workplace before the pandemic and during the last seven days
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