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. 2021 May:144:110420.
doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2021.110420. Epub 2021 Mar 16.

Quarantine for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Wuhan city: Support, understanding, compliance and psychological impact among lay public

Yulan Lin  1 , Zhijian Hu  2 , Haridah Alias  3 , Li Ping Wong  4
Affiliations

Quarantine for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Wuhan city: Support, understanding, compliance and psychological impact among lay public

Yulan Lin et al. J Psychosom Res. 2021 May.

Abstract

Objective: Wuhan, the epicentre of the coronavirus diseases (COVID-19) outbreak, has been locked down on January 23, 2020. We conducted a study among the lay public in Wuhan to access their support, understanding of, compliance with, and the psychological impacts of the quarantine.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, online-based survey study between January 28, 2020, and February 2, 2020 among the adult lay public in Wuhan to access their support, understanding of, compliance with, and the psychological impacts of the quarantine. Multivariable logistic analysis was used to identify factors associated with psychological impacts.

Results: Among the 4100 participants investigated, a total of 15.9% were compliant with all the five household prevention measures, whereas 74.4% were compliant with all the three community prevention measures investigated. By demographics, participants of younger age, higher income, residing in an urban area, knowing neighbors infected with COVID-19 reported significantly higher psychological impact score. Participants with a lower level of support for quarantine were more likely to have a higher psychological impact score (OR = 1.45, 95% CI 1.07-1.96). Participants with a lower level of compliance with preventive measures (score of 0-19) reported higher psychological impact (OR = 1.40, 95% CI 1.22-1.60 vs. score 20-24). Participants who had been out of house socializing and attended public events expressed higher psychological impact.

Conclusions: Support, understanding of the rationale for quarantine are essential in ensuring appropriate psychological well-being during the quarantine. Improvements in compliance with preventive measures are highly warranted and may bring about a reduction in psychological distress.

Keywords: COVID-19; Psychosocial impact; Quarantine; Support compliance; Wuhan.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The duration of the data collection period and the trend of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Wuhan and mainland China.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Proportion of responses for support and understanding of provincial quarantine and self-imposed quarantine (N = 4100).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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