Balance and Health-Related Quality of Life After 1 Year of COVID-19 Social Restriction Measures: A Cross-Sectional Study in Two Samples from Spain

• Published in: Healthcare (Basel) 2024-11, Vol.12 (21), p.2164
• Main Authors: Huertas-Hoyas, Elisabet, Rodríguez-Rivas, Cristina, Rodríguez-Pérez, Mª Pilar, García-de-Miguel, María, Trugeda-Pedrajo, Nuria, Delgado-Lobete, Laura, Fernández-Gómez, Gemma, Camacho-Montaño, Lucía Rocío
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anxiety; Control; COVID-19; Cross-sectional studies; Epidemics; Health aspects; Health care; Informed consent; Mental health; Pandemics; Quality of life; Questionnaires; Restrictions; Social aspects; Social isolation; Social networks; Sociodemographics; Stress; Well being
• ISSN: 2227-9032; 2227-9032
• DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12212164

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the well-being of the general population. However, more information is needed regarding the relationship between participation-related outcomes. This study aimed to analyze the impact of the pandemic on occupational balance (OB) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) before and after social restrictions and to explore their relationship with COVID-19 diagnosis. We conducted a study among individuals diagnosed with COVID-19, assigning a healthy control group with the same sociodemographic characteristics using the EQ-5D-5L and the Occupational Balance Questionnaire (OBQ). The final sample size consisted of 61 participants in the COVID-19 diagnosis group (50.8% male; mean age 34.6 ± 14.17 years) and 57 healthy participants (50.8% male; mean age 33.7 ± 13.77 years). There were no differences in the sociodemographic variables between the groups. Significant differences were found between groups both before the pandemic and 1 year after confinement measures in HRQoL and OBQ ( < 0.005). The regression model indicated significant associations ( < 0.001) between HRQoL and both current OB and COVID-19 diagnosis. However, the OBQ scores from before the pandemic did not show a significant association with HRQoL ( = 0.336). In conclusion, social restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted HRQoL in our sample even 1 year after confinement, with COVID-19 diagnosis and occupational imbalance predicting worse outcomes, highlighting the need for targeted interventions not only for the current situation but also for possible future public health crises.