Residential mobility restrictions and adverse mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK
Abstract During the COVID-19 pandemic, several governments tried to contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, with lockdowns that prohibited leaving one’s residence unless carrying out a few essential services. We investigate the relationship between limitations to mobility a...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-51854-6 |
| _version_ | 1797350014761041920 |
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| author | Ho Fai Chan Zhiming Cheng Silvia Mendolia Alfredo R. Paloyo Massimiliano Tani Damon Proulx David A. Savage Benno Torgler |
| author_facet | Ho Fai Chan Zhiming Cheng Silvia Mendolia Alfredo R. Paloyo Massimiliano Tani Damon Proulx David A. Savage Benno Torgler |
| author_sort | Ho Fai Chan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract During the COVID-19 pandemic, several governments tried to contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, with lockdowns that prohibited leaving one’s residence unless carrying out a few essential services. We investigate the relationship between limitations to mobility and mental health in the UK during the first year and a half of the pandemic using a unique combination of high-frequency mobility data from Google and monthly longitudinal data collected through the Understanding Society survey. We find a strong and statistically robust correlation between mobility data and mental health survey data and show that increased residential stationarity is associated with the deterioration of mental wellbeing even when regional COVID-19 prevalence and lockdown stringency are controlled for. The relationship is heterogeneous, as higher levels of distress are seen in young, healthy people living alone; and in women, especially if they have young children. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T12:38:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a8fbf10165b84e5598201efc98c5379f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T12:38:39Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-a8fbf10165b84e5598201efc98c5379f2024-01-21T12:19:53ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-01-0114111610.1038/s41598-024-51854-6Residential mobility restrictions and adverse mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UKHo Fai Chan0Zhiming Cheng1Silvia Mendolia2Alfredo R. Paloyo3Massimiliano Tani4Damon Proulx5David A. Savage6Benno Torgler7School of Economics and Finance, Queensland University of TechnologySocial Policy Research Centre, University of New South WalesDepartment of Economics, Social Studies and Applied Mathematics and Statistics, University of TurinUniversity of WollongongSchool of Business, UNSW CanberraNewcastle Business School, University of NewcastleNewcastle Business School, University of NewcastleSchool of Economics and Finance, Queensland University of TechnologyAbstract During the COVID-19 pandemic, several governments tried to contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, with lockdowns that prohibited leaving one’s residence unless carrying out a few essential services. We investigate the relationship between limitations to mobility and mental health in the UK during the first year and a half of the pandemic using a unique combination of high-frequency mobility data from Google and monthly longitudinal data collected through the Understanding Society survey. We find a strong and statistically robust correlation between mobility data and mental health survey data and show that increased residential stationarity is associated with the deterioration of mental wellbeing even when regional COVID-19 prevalence and lockdown stringency are controlled for. The relationship is heterogeneous, as higher levels of distress are seen in young, healthy people living alone; and in women, especially if they have young children.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-51854-6 |
| spellingShingle | Ho Fai Chan Zhiming Cheng Silvia Mendolia Alfredo R. Paloyo Massimiliano Tani Damon Proulx David A. Savage Benno Torgler Residential mobility restrictions and adverse mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK Scientific Reports |
| title | Residential mobility restrictions and adverse mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK |
| title_full | Residential mobility restrictions and adverse mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK |
| title_fullStr | Residential mobility restrictions and adverse mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK |
| title_full_unstemmed | Residential mobility restrictions and adverse mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK |
| title_short | Residential mobility restrictions and adverse mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK |
| title_sort | residential mobility restrictions and adverse mental health outcomes during the covid 19 pandemic in the uk |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-51854-6 |
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