engleski

Occupational disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic: Exploring changes to daily routines and their potential impact on mental health

The COVID-19 pandemic has had far-reaching consequences for health, in part due to the numerous changes to daily routines that arose due to public health measures and restrictions. The aim of this study was to examine the experience of occupational disruption during a pandemic and the consequences for mental health among women living in Croatia. In May 2020, 661 women completed an online questionnaire exploring changes to time spent engaged in various occupations, changes to the quality of occupational participation, and psychological health. While most participants experienced changes to daily occupations, these changes were not universal across occupational domains or for all participants. Cluster analysis revealed three unique groups: participants who reported poorer quality of participation in all domains ; those who reported reduced quality in most domains, but stable or improved quality in leisure and outdoor occupations ; and those who reported stable or improved quality in most domains. Participants in the first cluster exhibited significantly greater levels of anxiety, depression, and stress compared to the other two clusters, suggesting that greater occupational disruption was related to poorer mental health. This study is among the first to demonstrate the way in which the pandemic and measures used to restrict the spread of the virus have contributed to occupational disruption. Findings indicating the varying degrees to which this disruption was perceived and experienced by participants shed new light on factors that influence potential vulnerability or resilience to the effects of occupational disruption. Findings are consistent with existing work demonstrating the role of participation in maintaining health and emphasize the importance of preserving daily routines during pandemic.

occupational science ; pandemic ; occupational disruption ; mental health ; women

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