Gender perspective of psychological discomfort during COVID-19 confinement among Spanish adult population: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Objective COVID-19 disease has affected more than a hundred countries worldwide and has exposed the population to an increase in mental health problems. The objective of this study was to assess the emotional impact of the pandemic from a gender perspective, as well as to study the modulating variables of that impact.

Design A descriptive and cross-sectional study through the General Health Questionnaire scale and the Sense of Coherence (SOC) scale is developed.

Setting General population of Spain was the target of this study

Participants The sample consisted of 3801 adult subjects living in Spain, without diagnosis for Sars-Cov-2 virus infection during confinement.

Intervention Data collection was carried out using an online questionnaire, from 26 March 2020 to 26 April 2020.

Primary and secondary outcomes measures A sample profile description was obtained, regarding to the study variables. Later, a regression model was implemented in order to test the relationship between these variables, and to achieve a predictive model of psychological discomfort controlling the gender variable.

Results The results showed that women, as compared with men, had increased psychological discomfort during confinement (t=−12.877; p<0.001; d=0.470). In contrast, significantly higher scores were observed on the SOC scale (t=6.336; p<0.001; d=0.231) in men, as compared with those obtained by women.

Conclusions Women have higher levels of psychological discomfort, increased concern about getting infected with COVID-19 and infecting others, as well as a lower level of SOC and perceived health. In addition, low levels of SOC predict greater concern about contagion and increased psychological discomfort.