ABSTRACT
BackgroundIn March 2020 the UK implemented the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (furlough) to minimize job losses. Our aim was to investigate associations between furlough and diet, physical activity, and sleep during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. MethodsWe analysed data from 25,092 participants aged 16 to 66 years from eight UK longitudinal studies. Changes in employment (including being furloughed) were defined by comparing employment status pre- and during the first lockdown. Health behaviours included fruit and vegetable consumption, physical activity, and sleeping patterns. Study-specific estimates obtained using modified Poisson regression, adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics and pre-pandemic health and health behaviours, were statistically pooled using random effects meta-analysis. Associations were also stratified by sex, age, and education. ResultsAcross studies, between 8 and 25% of participants were furloughed. Compared to those who remained working, furloughed workers were slightly less likely to be physically inactive (RR:0.85, [0.75-0.97], I2=59%) and did not differ in diet and sleep behaviours, although findings for sleep were heterogenous (I2=85%). In stratified analyses, furlough was associated with low fruit and vegetable consumption among males (RR=1.11; 95%CI: 1.01-1.22; I2: 0%) but not females (RR=0.84; 95%CI: 0.68-1.04; I2: 65%). Considering change in these health behaviours, furloughed workers were more likely than those who remained working to report increased fruit and vegetable consumption, exercise, and hours of sleep. ConclusionsThose furloughed exhibited broadly similar levels of health behaviours to those who remained in employment during the initial stages of the pandemic. There was little evidence to suggest that such social protection policies if used in the post-pandemic recovery period and during future economic crises would have adverse impacts on population health behaviours.
ABSTRACT
BackgroundResponses to the COVID-19 pandemic have included lockdowns and social distancing with considerable disruptions to peoples lives. These changes may have particularly impacted on those with mental health problems, leading to a worsening of inequalities in the behaviours which influence health. MethodsWe used data from four national longitudinal British cohort studies (N=10,666). Respondents reported mental health (psychological distress and anxiety/depression symptoms) and health behaviours (alcohol, diet, physical activity, and sleep) before and during the pandemic. Associations between pre-pandemic mental ill-health and pandemic mental ill-health and health behaviours were examined using logistic regression; pooled effects were estimated using meta-analysis. ResultsWorse mental health was related to adverse health behaviours; effect sizes were largest for sleep, exercise and diet, and weaker for alcohol. The associations between poor mental health and adverse health behaviours were larger during the May lockdown than pre-pandemic. In September, when restrictions had eased, inequalities had largely reverted to pre-pandemic levels. A notable exception was for sleep, where differences by mental health status remained high. Risk differences for adverse sleep for those with the highest level of prior mental ill-health compared to those with the lowest, were 21.2% (95% CI: 16.2, 26.2) before lockdown, 25.5% (20.0, 30.3) in May, and 28.2% (21.2, 35.2) in September. ConclusionsTaken together, our findings suggest that mental health is an increasingly important factor in health behaviour inequality in the COVID era. The promotion of mental health may thus be an important component of improving post-COVID population health.
ABSTRACT
Background: Access to health services and adequate care is influenced by sex, ethnicity, socio-economic position (SEP) and burden of co-morbidities. However, it is unknown whether the COVID-19 pandemic further deepened these already existing health inequalities. Methods: Participants were from five longitudinal age-homogenous British cohorts (born in 2001, 1990, 1970, 1958 and 1946). A web and telephone-based survey provided data on cancelled surgical or medical appointments, and the number of care hours received during the UK COVID-19 national lockdown. Using binary or ordered logistic regression, we evaluated whether these outcomes differed by sex, ethnicity, SEP and having a chronic illness. Adjustment was made for study-design, non-response weights, psychological distress, presence of children or adolescents in the household, keyworker status, and whether participants had received a shielding letter. Meta-analyses were performed across the cohorts and meta-regression evaluated the effect of age as a moderator. Findings: 14891 participants were included. Females (OR 1.40, 95% confidence interval [1.27,1.55]) and those with a chronic illness (OR 1.84 [1.65-2.05]) experienced significantly more cancellations during lockdown (all p<0.0001). Ethnic minorities and those with a chronic illness required a higher number of care hours during the lockdown (both OR approx. 2.00, all p<0.002). Age was not independently associated with either outcome in meta-regression. SEP was not associated with cancellation or care hours. Interpretation: The UK government's lockdown approach during the COVID-19 pandemic appears to have deepened existing health inequalities, impacting predominantly females, ethnic-minorities and those with chronic illnesses. Public health authorities need to implement urgent policies to ensure equitable access to health and care for all in preparation for a second wave.
ABSTRACT
BackgroundThe coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and consequent physical distancing measures are expected to have far-reaching consequences on population health, particularly in already disadvantaged groups. These consequences include changes in health impacting behaviours (such as exercise, sleep, diet and alcohol use) which are arguably important drivers of health inequalities. We sought to add to the rapidly developing empirical evidence base investigating the impacts of the pandemic on such behavioural outcomes. MethodsUsing data from five nationally representative British cohort studies (born 2001, 1990, 1970, 1958, and 1946), we investigated sleep, physical activity (exercise), diet, and alcohol intake (N=14,297). Using measures of each behaviour reported before and during lockdown, we investigated change in each behaviour, and whether such changes differed by age/cohort, gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic position (SEP; childhood social class, education attainment, and adult reporting of financial difficulties). Binary or ordered logistic regression models were used, adjusting for prior measures of each health behaviour and accounting for study design and non-response weights. Meta-analyses were used to pool cohort-specific estimates and formally test for heterogeneity across cohorts. ResultsChanges in these outcomes occurred in in both directions ie, shifts from the middle part of the distribution to both declines and increases in sleep, exercise, and alcohol use. For all outcomes, older cohorts were less likely to report changes in behaviours compared with younger cohorts. In the youngest cohort (born 2001), the following shifts were more evident: increases in exercise, fruit and vegetable intake, sleep, and less frequent alcohol consumption. After adjustment for prior behaviour levels, during lockdown females were less likely to sleep within the typical range (6-9 hours) yet exercised more frequently; lower SEP was associated with lower odds of sleeping within the typical range (6-9 hours), lower exercise participation, and lower consumption of fruit and vegetables; and ethnic minorities were less likely than White participants to sleep within the typical range (6-9 hours), exercise less frequently, yet reported less frequent alcohol consumption. ConclusionsOur findings highlight the multiple changes to behavioural outcomes that may have occurred due to COVID-19 lockdown, and the differential impacts across generation, gender, SEP and ethnicity. Such changes require further monitoring given their possible implications to population health and the widening of health inequalities.
