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. 2023 Sep;32(9):2695-2706.
doi: 10.1007/s11136-023-03414-0. Epub 2023 Apr 21.

Health-related quality of life before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland: a cross-sectional study

Katharina Roser  1 , Julia Baenziger  2   3   4 , Anica Ilic  2 , Vera R Mitter  5 , Luzius Mader  6   7 , Daniela Dyntar  2   8 , Gisela Michel  2 , Grit Sommer  6   9   10
Affiliations

Health-related quality of life before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland: a cross-sectional study

Katharina Roser et al. Qual Life Res. 2023 Sep.

Abstract

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic forced people to give up their daily routines and adjust to new circumstances. This might have affected health-related quality of life (HRQOL). We aimed to compare HRQOL during the first COVID-19 wave in 2020 to HRQOL before the pandemic and to identify determinants of HRQOL during the pandemic in Switzerland.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional online survey during the pandemic (between May and July 2020; CoWELL sample; convenience sample). Before the pandemic (2015-2016), we had conducted a cross-sectional paper-based survey among a representative random sample of the Swiss general population (SGP sample). In both samples, we assessed physical and mental HRQOL (Short Form-36) and socio-demographic characteristics. In the CoWELL sample, we additionally assessed health- and COVID-19-related characteristics. Data were analysed using linear regressions.

Results: The CoWELL sample included 1581 participants (76% women; mean age = 43 years, SD = 14 years) and the SGP sample 1209 participants (58% women, mean age = 49 years, SD = 15 years). Adjusted for sex, age, and education, the CoWELL sample reported higher physical HRQOL (PCS, +5.8 (95% CI: 5.1, 6.6), p < 0.001) and lower mental HRQOL (MCS, -6.9 (-7.8, -6.0), p < 0.001) than the SGP sample. In the CoWELL sample, especially persons with lower health literacy, who had no support network or who have had COVID-19, reported lower HRQOL.

Discussion: Aspects unique to the COVID-19 pandemic affected HRQOL. Vulnerable persons such as those having had COVID-19, less support opportunities, and with lower health literacy are especially prone to impaired HRQOL during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords: Coronavirus; Health-related quality of life; Mental health; Physical health; SARS-CoV-2; SF-36.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflict of interest for this study.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Comparison of HRQOL during (CoWELL sample) and before (Swiss general population sample) the COVID-19 pandemic
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Determinants for physical HRQOL (PCS) in the CoWELL sample from multivariable regression analysis
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Determinants of mental HRQOL (MCS) in the CoWELL sample from multivariable regression analysis
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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