Holistic Approach Supporting Mental Wellbeing of People in Enforced Quarantine in South Australia During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Overview

Journal Aust N Z J Public Health

Publisher Elsevier

Specialty Public Health

Date 2021 Jun 7

PMID 34097327

Citations 8

Authors

Katina DOnise

Sonali Meena

Kamalesh Venugopal

Marc Currie

Emily Kirkpatrick

Jenny Hurley

Rebecca Nolan

John Brayley

Bryan Atherton

Nicola Spurrier

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objectives: To report the experience of quarantine for international arrivals to South Australia requiring quarantine in a medi-hotel setting during the COVID-19 pandemic and to describe the range of evidence-based support services to mitigate the mental health impacts of quarantine.

Methods: A range of services targeted at physical and mental wellbeing were provided. Data from 533 adult respondents out of 721 passengers were included. The Kessler 10 was used to measure psychological distress at two time points.

Results: About 7.1% of respondents reported psychological distress at time one, reduced to 2.4% at time two. There was no significant difference in psychological distress by gender at either time point. The mean K10 score at time one was 13.6 (standard deviation=5.2) and the mean score at time two was 11.5 (standard deviation=3.1), with a significant reduction in mean scores (p<0.001) between the two time points.

Conclusions: The level of psychological stress in repatriated Australians was low at arrival and improved further at the time of release from quarantine. Implications for public health: A collaborative multi-sector approach to provide support services for individuals in quarantine can mitigate risks to mental wellbeing.

Citing Articles

Buhler A, Willmund G Front Public Health. 2023; 11:1267581.

PMID: 38152661 PMC: 10751356. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1267581.

Protecting mental health in quarantine: Exploring lived experiences of healthcare in mandatory COVID-19 quarantine, New South Wales, Australia.

Fotheringham P, Dorney E, McKinn S, Fox G, Bernays S SSM Popul Health. 2023; 21:101329.

PMID: 36624829 PMC: 9805377. DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2022.101329.

The lived experience of hotel isolation and quarantine at the Aotearoa New Zealand border for COVID-19: A qualitative descriptive study.

Gray L, MacDonald C, Puloka A, Bocock C, Gwyther R, Rushton A Int J Disaster Risk Reduct. 2022; 70:102779.

PMID: 36569446 PMC: 9764876. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2021.102779.

Understanding the Psychological Well-Being of International Arrivals in a Purpose-Designed Australian COVID-19 Quarantine Facility.

Mitchell D, Esler D, Straube K, Thomas D, Stephens D, Bressington D Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022; 19(24).

PMID: 36554434 PMC: 9779351. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192416553.

Psychological effects of, and compliance with, self-isolation among COVID-19 patients in South Batinah Governorate, Oman: a cross-sectional study.

Almayahi Z, Al Lamki N Egypt J Neurol Psychiatr Neurosurg. 2022; 58(1):45.

PMID: 35573868 PMC: 9079213. DOI: 10.1186/s41983-022-00481-x.

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