THE IMPACT OF THE MOVEMENT CONTROL ORDER PHASES ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG MALAYSIAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Abstract

This study measured the impact of the different phases during movement control order on the quality of life among local Malaysian university students aged >18 years old. An online survey was distributed through a social media platform during the movement control order (MCO; 20 April to 12 May 2020) and conditional movement control order (CMCO; 12 to 20 May 2020). The same participants completed the SF-36 quality of life questionnaire that assessed the overall physical health, mental health, and eight domains which are physical functioning (PF), physical role functioning (RF), bodily pain (BP), general health perceptions (GH), vitality (V), social role functioning (SF), emotional role functioning (EF), and mental health (MH) in both phases. A total of 523 participants (Male = 222, female = 301) completed the survey. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test showed that there was a significant difference in participants’ quality of life between the MCO and CMCO phases. It was revealed in comparison to the CMCO phase, the participants reported lower in both health-related and mental quality of life for PF (Z = -13.79, p <.001), RF (Z = -13.59, p <.001), BP (Z = -11.64, p <.001), GH (Z = -12.97, p <.001), V (Z = -13.15, p <.001), SF (Z = -15.19, p <.001), EF (Z = -13.71, p <.001), and MH (Z = -8.47, p <.001). In overall university students' quality of life, a better score was shown in physical health quality of life (Z = -13.98, p <.001) and mental health quality of life (Z = -13.21, p <.001) during CMCO compared to MCO phase. Variance experiences through the COVID-19 pandemic faced by university students during both phases of movement control order and conditional movement control order were noted to have an impact on their quality of life.