Work

Face covering adherence is positively associated with better mental health and wellbeing: a longitudinal analysis of the CovidLife surveys

Year: 2021

Type: article

Abstract: Face masks or coverings are effective at reducing airborne infection rates, yet pandemic mitigation measures, including wearing face coverings, have been suggested to contribute to reductions in quality of life and poorer mental health. Longitudinal analyses of more than 11,000 participants across the UK found no association between lower adherence to face covering guidelines and poorer mental health. The opposite appears to be true. Even after controlling for behavioral, social, and psychological confounds, including measures of pre-pandemic mental health, individuals who wore face coverings “most of the time” or “always” had better mental health and wellbeing than those who did not. These results suggest that wearing face coverings more often will not negatively impact mental health.

Source: Wellcome Open Research

DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.16643.1

Authors: Drew Altschul, Chloe Fawns-Ritchie, Alex Kwong, Louise Hartley, Clifford Nangle, Rachel Edwards, Rebecca Dawson, Christie Levein, Archie Campbell, Robin Flaig, Andrew McIntosh, Ian Deary, Riccardo Marioni, Caroline Hayward, Cathie Sudlow, Elaine Douglas, David Bell, David Porteous

Institutions: Uniwersytet SWPS, University of Edinburgh, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, MRC Human Genetics Unit, University of Stirling

Language: English

Topic: COVID-19 and Mental Health

Subfield: Clinical Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,128

Funders: Wellcome Trust, Scottish Government, British Academy, Scottish Funding Council, Mauritius Research Council, Chief Scientist Office, Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorate, Medical Research Council

Awards: G2437620908, G259633682, Generation Scotland:NextGenScot, Generation Scotland:NextGenScot, Stratifying Resilience and Depression Longitudinally (STRADL), G5277938394, Quantitative Traits in Health and Disease, Stratifying Resilience and Depression Longitudinally (STRADL), G6415249941, G8204735310, G8330560607, G839044655, G8724570043

OpenAlex ID: W3137560826

FWCI: 0.341

Cites: 32

Cited by: 2

Related to: 10