Indirect contact with nature, lifestyle, and mental health outcomes during mandatory hotel quarantine in Hong Kong

Abstract

Background

During the pandemic of COVID-19 Hong Kong lead one of the world’s longest and most stringent quarantine measures.

Aims

To examine cross-sectionally (i) the relationship between the duration of mandatory hotel quarantine and mental health outcomes; (ii) whether indirect contact with nature and lifestyle factors (i.e. diet, sleep, exercises, social support, and sense of meaning), mitigated this relationship.

Methods

A group of 248 participants under 14 or 21-d mandatory hotel quarantine in Hong Kong completed an online questionnaire that included quarantine and lifestyle-related questions, as well as mental health outcome measures.

Results

For those under a 21-d quarantine, there was a significant effect of the week of quarantine on the level of depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-4), which peaked in Week 2. Worse quality of sleep, a lower sense of meaning, and a longer set (but not completed) duration of quarantine were predictors of worse mental health outcomes. The positive relationship between the day of quarantine and the level of perceived stress was moderated by the indirect contact with nature.

Conclusion

The results shed light on the potential negative impact of prolonged periods of quarantine on mental health outcomes and the possible protective factors.

Keywords:

• COVID-19
• quarantine
• exposure to nature
• Hong Kong
• lifestyle medicine
• mental health

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by a seed grant from The University of Hong Kong (202011159055).