Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to assess the effect of the COVID-19 confinement on the population wellbeing using the EQ-5D questionnaire.

Methods: After receiving the written permission from the EuroQol Research Foundation, an online-based survey was prepared and a total of 1380 participants were recruited via social media. The relationships of all factors and the scores of the EQ-5D including EQ-5D Index and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and for each EQ-5D dimension were studied. Linear regression for the Index and VAS and Logistic regression model was used to each dimension.

                Results: The median EQ-5D Index and VAS scores were 0.65 (0.5-0.75), 80 (60-90), respectively. The most frequently reported problem was anxiety/depression (67.3%), followed by usual activities (48.6%). The statistical analysis showed that factors significantly associated with more reported problems in at least one EQ-5D dimension (P<0.05) were: females, aging, being unmarried, low income, school studies, living in refugee camps, and villages, unemployment, having chronic diseases or pain, obesity and also, the participants responded in November showed more problems compared to December-2020. On the other hand, been infected, having known affected persons, with no enough information, those perceived negative effect of confinement, and those indicated having a high infection chance reported more problems (P<0.05).

                Conclusions: This work provides important evidence about the negative effect of the COVID-19 confinement on the Palestinian population, affecting almost all the aspects of the health state and wellbeing. This effect could be minimized by improving the COVID-19 preventive education and monitoring that might play an important role in all health and life aspects among the Palestinian population in facing this pandemic.

Title

International journal of clinical practice

Publisher

Wiley-Blackwell

Publisher Country

United States of America

Indexing

Scopus

Impact Factor

2.503

Publication Type

Both (Printed and Online)

Volume

75

Year

2021

Pages

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