COVID-19 Home Confinement Negatively Impacts Social Participation and Life Satisfaction: A Worldwide Multicenter Study

Achraf Ammar(University of Sfax), Hamdi Chtourou(Institut Supérieur du Sport et de l’Éducation Physique de Sfax), Omar Boukhris(Institut Supérieur du Sport et de l’Éducation Physique de Sfax), Khaled Trabelsi(Institut Supérieur du Sport et de l’Éducation Physique de Sfax), Liwa Masmoudi(Institut Supérieur du Sport et de l’Éducation Physique de Sfax), Michael Brach(University of Münster), Bassem Bouaziz(University of Sfax), Ellen Bentlage(University of Münster), Daniella How(University of Münster), Mona Ahmed(University of Münster), Patrick J. Mueller(German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases), Notger Mueller(German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases), Hsen Hsouna(Institut Supérieur du Sport et de l’Éducation Physique de Sfax), Asma Aloui(University of Gafsa), Omar Hammouda(University of Sfax), Laisa Liane Paineiras-Domingos(Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro), Annemarie Braakman‐Jansen(University of Twente), Christian Wrede(University of Twente), Sophia Bastoni(Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore), Carlos Soares Pernambuco(Estácio (Brazil)), Leonardo José Mataruna-Dos-Santos(Canadian University of Dubai), Morteza Taheri(Imam Khomeini International University), Khadijeh Irandoust(Imam Khomeini International University), Aïmen Khacharem(Université Paris-Est Créteil), Nicola Luigi Bragazzi(York University), Jana Strahler(Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen), Jad Adrian Washif(Kuala Lumpur Sports Medicine Centre), Albina Andreeva, Samira khoshnami(Université Paris Nanterre), Evangelia Samara(Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center), Vasiliki Zisi(University of Thessaly), Parasanth Sankar, Waseem Ahmed, Mohamed Romdhani, Jan Delhey(Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg), Stephen J. Bailey(Loughborough University), Nick Bott(Stanford University), Faı̈ez Gargouri(University of Sfax), Lotfi Chaâri(Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier), Hadj Batatia(Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier), Gamal Mohamed Ali(Assiut University), Osama Abdelkarim(Karlsruhe Institute of Technology), Mohamed Jarraya(Institut Supérieur du Sport et de l’Éducation Physique de Sfax), Kaïs El Abed(Institut Supérieur du Sport et de l’Éducation Physique de Sfax), Nizar Souissi, Julia E.W.C. van Gemert‐Pijnen(University of Twente), Bryan L. Riemann(Georgia Southern University), Laurel Riemann, Wassim Moalla(Institut Supérieur du Sport et de l’Éducation Physique de Sfax), Jonathan Gómez‐Raja(Government of Extremadura), Monique Epstein, Robbert Sanderman(University Medical Center Groningen), Sebastian Schulz(University Hospital Ulm), Achim Jerg(University Hospital Ulm), Ramzi Al-Horani(Yarmouk University), Taiysir Mansi(University of Jordan), Mohamed Jmail(Digital Research Centre of Sfax), Fernando Barbosa(Universidade do Porto), Fernando Ferreira‐Santos(Iscte – Instituto Universitário de Lisboa), Boštjan Šimunič, Rado Pišot, Saša Pišot, Andrea Gaggioli(Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore), Piotr Żmijewski(Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw), Christian Apfelbacher(Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg), Jürgen M. Steinacker(University Hospital Ulm), Helmi Ben Saad(Hôpital Farhat Hached), Jordan M. Glenn(University of Arkansas at Fayetteville), Karim Chamari(Qatar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital), Tarak Driss(Université Paris Nanterre), Anita Höekelmann(Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg)
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
August 27, 2020
10.3390/ijerph17176237
Cited by 419Open Access
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Abstract

Public health recommendations and governmental measures during the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic have enforced numerous restrictions on daily living including social distancing, isolation, and home confinement. While these measures are imperative to mitigate spreading of COVID-19, the impact of these restrictions on psychosocial health is undefined. Therefore, an international online survey was launched in April 2020 to elucidate the behavioral and lifestyle consequences of COVID-19 restrictions. This report presents the preliminary results from more than one thousand responders on social participation and life satisfaction. Methods: Thirty-five research organizations from Europe, North-Africa, Western Asia, and the Americas promoted the survey through their networks to the general society, in 7 languages (English, German, French, Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese, and Slovenian). Questions were presented in a differential format with questions related to responses “before” and “during” confinement conditions. Results: 1047 participations (54% women) from Asia (36%), Africa (40%), Europe (21%), and others (3%) were included in the analysis. Findings revealed psychosocial strain during the enforced COVID-19 home confinement. Large decreases (p < 0.001) in the amount of social activity through family (−58%), friends/neighbors (−44.9%), or entertainment (−46.7%) were triggered by the enforced confinement. These negative effects on social participation were also associated with lower life satisfaction (−30.5%) during the confinement period. Conversely, the social contact score through digital technologies significantly increased (p < 0.001) during the confinement period with more individuals (+24.8%) being socially connected through digital technology. Conclusion: These preliminary findings elucidate the risk of psychosocial strain during the early COVID-19 home confinement period in 2020. Therefore, in order to mitigate the negative psychosocial effects of home confinement, implementation of national strategies focused on promoting social inclusion through a technology-based solution is strongly suggested.

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