The impact of COVID-19 non-pharmaceutical interventions on the lived experiences of people living in Thailand, Malaysia, Italy and the United Kingdom: A cross-country qualitative study
Issued Date
2022-01-01
Resource Type
eISSN
19326203
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85123360314
Pubmed ID
35061789
Journal Title
PLoS ONE
Volume
17
Issue
1 January
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
PLoS ONE Vol.17 No.1 January (2022)
Suggested Citation
Schneiders M.L., Naemiratch B., Cheah P.K., Cuman G., Poomchaichote T., Ruangkajorn S., Stoppa S., Osterrieder A., Cheah P.K., Ongkili D., Pan-Ngum W., Mackworth-Young C.R.S., Cheah P.Y. The impact of COVID-19 non-pharmaceutical interventions on the lived experiences of people living in Thailand, Malaysia, Italy and the United Kingdom: A cross-country qualitative study. PLoS ONE Vol.17 No.1 January (2022). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0262421 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/86654
Title
The impact of COVID-19 non-pharmaceutical interventions on the lived experiences of people living in Thailand, Malaysia, Italy and the United Kingdom: A cross-country qualitative study
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
This qualitative study explores the impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs), including social distancing, travel restrictions and quarantine, on lived experiences during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand (TH), Malaysia (MY), Italy (IT) and the United Kingdom (UK). A total of 86 interviews (TH: n = 28; MY: n = 18; IT: n = 20; UK: n = 20) were conducted with members of the public, including healthcare workers (n = 13). Participants across countries held strong views on government imposed NPIs, with many feeling measures lacked clarity. Most participants reported primarily negative impacts of NPIs on their lives, including through separation, isolation and grief over missed milestones; work-related challenges and income loss; and poor mental health and wellbeing. Nonetheless, many also experienced inadvertent positive consequences, including more time at home to focus on what they most valued in life; a greater sense of connectedness; and benefits to working life. Commonly employed coping strategies focused on financial coping (e.g. reducing spending); psycho-emotional coping (e.g. engaging in spiritual practices); social coping and connectedness (e.g., maintaining relationships remotely); reducing and mitigating risks (e.g., changing food shopping routines); and limiting exposure to the news (e.g., checking news only occasionally). Importantly, the extent to which participants' lived experiences were positive or negative, and their ability to cope was underpinned by individual, social and economic factors, with the analysis indicating some salient differences across countries and participants. In order to mitigate negative and unequal impacts of NPIs, COVID-19 policies will benefit from paying closer attention to the social, cultural and psychological-not just biological-vulnerabilities to, and consequences of public health measures.