Increased Mental Health Symptoms Remain Despite End of Lockdown

Objective: The emergence of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak dramatically affects mental well-being. Even if the causes for this decline are not yet known, some explanations seem obvious. This longitudinal study investigated mental well-being depending on the lockdown measures in Austria. Methods: An online survey (N=445) was conducted during (T1) and after (T2) lockdown measuring wellbeing (WHO-5), quality of life (WHO-QoL BREF, psychological domain), anxiety (GAD-7), and sleep quality (ISI). Results: Well-being (WHO-5: M±SD 61.32 ± 21.22 vs. 61.92 ± 22.21; t(444) = -.78; p = .434), Quality of Life (WHO QoL-BREF psychological domain: 71.04 ± 18.44 vs. 71.09 ± 18.74; t(444) =-.10; p = .922), anxiety (GAD-7: 5.69 ± 4.74 vs. 5.57 ± 4.88; t(444) = .80 p = .425), and sleep quality (ISI: 7.91 ± 5.38 vs. 8.63 ± 5.94; t(444) = .69; p = .492) did not differ statistically significant during and after lockdown, respectively. Conclusion: The deterioration of mental well-being during the COVID-19 lockdown compared to pre-epidemiological data remained unchanged despite the end of the lockdown. Thus, the impact of the COVID19 pandemic (with all its consequences) seems to have a greater impact on well-being, quality of life and mental health symptoms than the lockdown measures itself.