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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Health-Related Quality of Life and Well-Being".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2023) | Viewed by 28630

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Dr. Tania Fernández-Villa

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Area of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of León, 24071 León, Spain
Interests: dietary analysis; lifestyles; cancer; flu
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Dear Colleagues,

COVID-19, first reported in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, is a major global public health problem with high morbidity and mortality. Many patients have had their physical or mental health impaired as a result of the disease, along with, thus, their quality of life.

The health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is a useful tool for measuring the impact that this disease is having on the physical and mental aspects of individuals and evaluating the efficacy/effectiveness of treatments or health interventions.

The aim is to create a Special Issue of the journal IJERPH in 2021, covering both general and specific aspects of quality-of-life assessment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The issue is open to all researchers or research groups that analyze HRQoL during COVID-19, including papers related to methodological aspects of the validation of general or specific HRQoL questionnaires, systematic reviews, or original articles that evaluate this problem both in the general population and in a specific disease.

Dr. Tania Fernández-Villa
Guest Editor

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Keywords

health-related quality of life
COVID-19
methodology
assessment
public health

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Related Special Issue

Assessment of Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) in Public Health in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (20 articles)

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 639 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Lifestyle Habits Determinants of Health-Related Quality of Life in Moroccan College Students

by Doha Achak, Abdelghaffar El-Ammari, Asmaa Azizi, Ibtissam Youlyouz-Marfak, Elmadani Saad, Chakib Nejjari, Abderraouf Hilali and Abdelghafour Marfak

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(3), 2394; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032394 - 29 Jan 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2477

Abstract

The transition to university is a critical period during which considerable life changes arise. Useful national data to design tailored interventions aimed at promoting health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among Moroccan students are lacking. The present study is aimed at filling this gap by investigating the levels and associated factors of HRQoL among a national sample of Moroccan university students. HRQoL was assessed using the EQ-5D-5L instrument. Data from 2759 university students were collected in a large, cross-sectional, web-based survey. All statistical analyses were conducted using the R software. The EQ-5D-5L findings showed that the majority of students rated level 1 (no problems) and level 2 (slight problems) for the “Mobility”, “Self-Care”, “Usual Activities”, and “Pain/Discomfort” HRQoL dimensions. However, the “Anxiety/Depression” dimension was the exception; more than half (57.1%) of the students were slightly to extremely anxious or depressed. The levels of lifestyle habits were of concern among participants of this study. With respect to sedentary behaviors and physical activity, we found that approximately 80% of participants spent ≥2 h/day on different screen-based sedentary behaviors, and 60% were physically inactive. Lifestyle habits that were found to be associated with HRQoL are sleeping time, physical activity, leisure, hygiene, household activities, homework, and social media time. The multiple regression model explained 93% of the EQ-VAS score variance. The findings could be of great importance for researchers and policymakers interested in promoting health of university students. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) during COVID-19)

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13 pages, 1317 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Screen Time during COVID-19 on Health-Related Quality of Life of Early Adolescents

by Mei-Chun Cheung, Joanne Yip and Jason Pui Yin Cheung

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(17), 10498; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191710498 - 23 Aug 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3027

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of screen time during COVID-19 on the physical and mental domains of the health-related quality of life of early adolescents. A total of 860 early adolescents were recruited. The 36-Item Short Form Health Survey was used to measure their health-related quality of life. The early adolescents reported their average daily time spent using smartphones and computers and watching television over the previous week. The results show that most early adolescents, on average, spent less than 1 h to more than 4 h per day during COVID-19 using smartphones (n = 833, 96.9%) and computers (n = 783, 91.0%), and watching television (n = 804, 93.5%), respectively. Though early male and female adolescents spent a similar amount of time daily on average using smartphones, early male adolescents spent more time using computers and watching television than early female adolescents and reported a significantly lower mean score for three out of the eight scales in the physical and mental domains of health-related quality of life. While health-related quality of life of early female adolescents was negatively associated with time spent using smartphones only, early male adolescents were adversely affected by the time spent using smartphones and computers and watching television (p < 0.05). Therefore, early adolescents who spent more time using display devices during COVID-19 had significantly poorer outcomes in their health-related quality of life, and gender difference was found in the influence of screen time on health-related quality of life. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) during COVID-19)

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12 pages, 702 KiB

Open AccessArticle

by Merili Tamson, Rainer Reile, Diana Sokurova, Kaire Innos, Eha Nurk, Kaia Laidra and Sigrid Vorobjov

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(15), 9060; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19159060 - 25 Jul 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 1937

Abstract

The aim of the study was to analyse health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among the Estonian general population and its socio-demographic and behavioural correlates during the COVID-19 pandemic. Longitudinal data on 1781 individuals from an Estonian rapid-assessment survey on COVID-19 were used. HRQoL was assessed with the EQ-5D-3L in June 2020 (baseline) and in May 2021 (follow-up). The HRQoL index score and its socio-demographic and behavioural variations were analysed using paired t-tests and Tobit regression modelling. Statistically significant declines in mean EQ-5D index scores were observed for all socio-demographic and behavioural variables considered. Most of these changes were due to increased reporting of problems in the pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression health domains. Older age, being unemployed or economically non-active and having financial difficulties were significantly associated with lower HRQoL in both baseline and follow-up measurements. In the follow-up data, women had significantly lower HRQoL compared to men, whereas higher education proved to be the only protective factor regarding HRQoL. Unhealthy dietary habits and low physical activity had a negative impact on the HRQoL score in the follow-up data. These results indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a substantial impact on HRQoL in the Estonian population. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) during COVID-19)

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14 pages, 677 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mental Health during the Early Stage of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Hong Kong Study

by Pik-Kwan Cheung, Joseph Wu and Wing-Hong Chui

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(15), 8957; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19158957 - 23 Jul 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3002

Abstract

This study addressed the impact on mental health and wellbeing in relation to views of the self, the world, and the future during the early stage of the global novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic outbreak. An online survey battery included the 21-item Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21), Subjective Happiness Scale, Self-Compassion Scale, Adult Hope Scale, and two specifically-written items measuring the valence quality and quantity of the impact of the pandemic. A total of 345 Hong Kong residents (54% females) responded; 17.1%, 24.7%, and 19.7% reported elevated levels of depression, anxiety, and stress, respectively. The prevalence of these issues was lower in this Hong Kong sample than reported in other COVID-19 studies, possibly due to the past experience of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in Hong Kong in promoting the voluntary wearing of masks in public places and introducing social distancing measures during the early first wave of the pandemic. Correlational analyses showed associations between positive views about the self (higher self-compassion), the world (higher positive valence), and the future (more hope) and better mental health and psychological wellbeing (fewer depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms; more happiness). Regression analyses indicated a differential predicting power of the three views on the four selected mental health and psychological wellbeing indicators. Intervention programs to alleviate distress and/or promote better wellbeing should be matched to the specific problems encountered by the sufferers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) during COVID-19)

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11 pages, 914 KiB

Open AccessArticle

At Which Area Level Does COVID-19 Infection Matter Most for an Individual’s Self-Rated Health? A Multilevel Fixed-Effects Model Analysis in Japan

by Takashi Oshio, Hiromi Kimura, Toshimi Nishizaki and Susumu Kuwahara

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(15), 8918; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19158918 - 22 Jul 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1671

Abstract

Several studies have reported the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on health outcomes. However, little is known about which area of COVID-19 infection matters most for an individual’s subjective health outcomes. We addressed this issue in the present study. We used the longitudinal data of 2260 individuals obtained from a two-wave internet-based nationwide survey conducted in Japan. We estimated the multilevel regression models, which controlled for fixed effects at the individual and prefecture levels, to explain an individual’s self-rated health (SRH) based on the reported number of new COVID-19 infection cases at different area levels: prefecture, group of neighboring prefectures, and regional bloc. We found that SRH was highly associated with the average and maximum number of new infection cases among neighboring prefectures or in the regional bloc, but not with those at the prefecture level, if used jointly as explanatory variables. The results suggest that inter-prefectural coordination is needed not only to contain COVID-19 but also to reduce its adverse impact on the subjective health outcomes of residents. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) during COVID-19)

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19 pages, 1618 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Health-Related Quality of Life of Moroccan COVID-19 Survivors: A Case-Control Study

by Asmaa Azizi, Doha Achak, Elmadani Saad, Abderraouf Hilali, Chakib Nejjari, Mohamed Khalis, Ibtissam Youlyouz-Marfak and Abdelghafour Marfak

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(14), 8804; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19148804 - 20 Jul 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1896

Abstract

Background: Research on COVID-19 has mostly focused on transmission, mortality and morbidity associated with the virus. However, less attention has been given to its impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients with COVID-19. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the demographic and clinical risk factors associated with COVID-19 and evaluate its impact on the HRQoL of COVID-19 survivors. Methods: A case-control study was carried out between September 2021 and March 2022 on 1105 participants. A total of 354 were COVID-19 survivors and 751 were the control group. The HRQoL was assessed using both EQ-5D-5L and SF-6D generic instruments. Results: The average age of all participants was 56.17 ± 15.46. Older age, urban area, tobacco use, presence of chronic diseases especially type 1 diabetes, kidney and cardiovascular diseases were significantly associated with COVID-19. The COVID-19 survivors had significantly lower HRQoL (EQ-VAS = 50.89) compared to the control group (EQ-VAS = 63.36) (p-value < 0.0001). Pain/ discomfort and anxiety/depression were the most negatively affected by COVID-19 (p-value < 0.0001). Conclusions: The findings from this study could help healthcare professionals and policy makers to better understand the HRQoL sequelae among the COVID-19 survivors and contribute to develop tailored interventions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) during COVID-19)

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20 pages, 871 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Human Augmentation Technologies for Employee Well-Being: A Research and Development Agenda

by Bach Q. Ho, Mai Otsuki, Yusuke Kishita, Maiko Kobayakawa and Kentaro Watanabe

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(3), 1195; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031195 - 21 Jan 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4016

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the style of work. In adapting to the changing work environment, human augmentation technologies (HAT) can provide employees with new options to support their work. However, the agenda for research and development of HAT for the new normal is still unclear. In this study, we set two research questions: (i) what type of technology demand has emerged among employees due to the COVID-19 pandemic; and (ii) what is the nature of job satisfaction experienced by employees during the COVID-19 pandemic? This study aims to clarify the technology demand and job satisfaction of employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. We analyzed data from in-depth interviews with employees based on a grounded theory approach to answer the research questions and proposed an agenda for the research and development of HAT to enhance employees’ well-being in this new normal based on the crosspoint of technology demand and job satisfaction. The theoretical contribution of this study is the development of models of technology demand and job satisfaction of employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. The practical contribution is the development of a crosspoint framework to enable the development of HAT to support work while considering their impact on employees’ well-being. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) during COVID-19)

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13 pages, 907 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Lifestyle Habits among Pregnant Women in Denmark during the First COVID-19 Lockdown Compared with a Historical Period—A Hospital-Based Cross-Sectional Study

by Hanne Kristine Hegaard, Ane Lilleøre Rom, Karl Bang Christensen, Lotte Broberg, Stinne Høgh, Cecilie Holm Christiansen, Nina Olsen Nathan, Mie Gaarskjaer de Wolff and Peter Damm

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(13), 7128; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18137128 - 3 Jul 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4227

Abstract

The first national lockdown in Denmark due to the COVID-19 pandemic was declared on 11 March 2020. From this date, national restrictions were imposed. We aimed to assess the potential influence of this first nationwide lockdown on exercise, alcohol consumption, and smoking in early pregnancy. Using a cross-sectional study based on routinely collected patient-reported data, we compared the lifestyle habits of women who were pregnant during the first phase of the pandemic (COVID-19 group) (n = 685) with those of women who were pregnant the year before (Historical group) (n = 787). We found a reduction in any exercise (PR = 0.91, 95% CI (0.84 to 0.99), in adherence to national recommendations of exercise (PR = 0.89, 95% CI (0.80 to 0.99), in cycling (15% vs. 28%, p < 0.0001), and swimming (0.3% vs. 3%, p = 0.0002) in the COVID-19 group compared with the Historical group. The prevalence of binge drinking was reduced in the COVID-19 group compared with the Historical group (PR = 0.80, 95% CI (0.68 to 0.93). In contrast, the prevalence of any weekly alcohol consumption and smoking cessation during pregnancy was similar between groups. Our findings indicate that national restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the lifestyle habits of pregnant women and should be addressed in antenatal counseling. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) during COVID-19)

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12 pages, 2749 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Promoting the Quality of Life of Elderly during the COVID-19 Pandemic

by Chia-Jung Lee and Yen Hsu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(13), 6813; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18136813 - 25 Jun 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4934

Abstract

This study explored the technology learning model of the elderly in a senior learning center under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many senior learning centers were closed during the pandemic, and many of them adopted the mode of online education. However, problems such as decreased motivation and a lack of peer interaction still exist. To solve these problems, this study used the easy-to-implement calligraphy AR approach and E-book approach to conduct a quasi-experiment on the elderly of a calligraphy course offered by a senior learning center. The results show a higher learning motivation among the elderly who use calligraphy AR. The learning effectiveness and technology acceptance of the elderly in the E-book learning group were higher than those in the calligraphy AR group. The elderly mentioned that the E-book learning approach is more user-friendly. In general, in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic affecting the suspension of classes in senior centers, education through the development of technology has stimulated the growth of education in advanced learning centers. Through this kind of scientific and technological learning method, it will bring a whole new experience to the elderly. It can improve the stress relief methods, mental health, and quality of life of the elderly during the COVID-19 emergency shutdown, and provide a novel calligraphy technique learning experience for the elderly. Therefore, we believe that the calligraphy AR learning approach and the calligraphy E-book learning approach are practical and may promote quality of life and mental health of the elderly during the emergency closures due to COVID-19, providing elderly attendees with a novel calligraphy technology learning experience. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) during COVID-19)

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