Mobility restrictions and mental health among young adults during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ecuador

• Published in: Gaceta sanitaria 2022-11, Vol.36 (6), p.512-519
• Main Authors: Carpio-Arias, Tannia Valeria, Piedra-Andrade, Jefferson Santiago, Nicolalde-Cifuentes, Tomás Marcelo, Padilla-Samaniego, María Victoria, Tapia-Veloz, Estephany Carolina, Vinueza-Veloz, María Fernanda
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adultos jóvenes; COVID-19; Demography; Depresión; Depression; Ecuador; Health Care Sciences & Services; Health Policy & Services; Infectious Diseases; Mental health; Original; Psychology; Public, Environmental & Occupational Health; Resilience psychological; Resiliencia psicológica; Salud mental; Sociology; Young adults
• ISSN: 0213-9111; 1578-1283
• DOI: 10.1016/j.gaceta.2021.12.008

To study the association between mobility restriction and mental health outcomes among Ecuadorian young adults. The present is a cross-sectional study that included a non-probabilistic sample of mostly highly educated young adults. Socio-demographic and mental health data were collected through an online survey, between May and June 2020, when confinement was mandatory in Ecuador. Data on mobility was extracted from Google Community Mobility Reports. Four aspects of the participants’ mental health were evaluated: eating behavior (emotional eating), depression, sleep quality and sense of coherence as a proxy of resilience, using previously validated instruments. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression models in R. Sample included 8426 young adults, with a mean age of 22.85 (standard deviation: 4.43), most of whom were women (n=5943, 70.53%). During mandatory confinement, in Ecuador mobility in general was reduced by nearly 50% in comparison to January/February, 2020. Less healthy eating behavior, depression, worse sleep quality and lower sense of coherence were associated with higher mobility restriction to workplaces and groceries/pharmacies. Women and youngsters more often showed depression, less healthy eating behavior, worse quality of sleep and lower sense of coherence in comparison with men and older respondents. Mobility restrictions during COVID-19 pandemic were associated with worse self-reported mental health in a sample of young highly-educated Ecuadorian adults. Women and youngsters were the most affected. Our findings highlight the need of implementing health promotion measures directed to ameliorate the effects of confinement on mental health, focusing on women and youngsters. Estudiar la asociación entre la restricción de movilidad y la salud mental en personas adultas jóvenes de Ecuador. Estudio transversal que incluyó una muestra no probabilística de personas adultas jóvenes con alto nivel de educación. Los datos sociodemográficos y de salud mental se recolectaron entre mayo y junio de 2020, cuando el confinamiento fue obligatorio, usando una encuesta en línea. Los datos sobre movilidad se extrajeron de Google Community Mobility Reports. Se evaluaron cuatro aspectos de la salud mental: alimentación emocional, depresión, calidad de sueño y sentido de coherencia como proxy de resiliencia, usando instrumentos previamente validados. Los datos se analizaron con modelos de regresión lineal múltiple usando R. La muestra incluyó 8426 jó