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Concerns and Support after One Year of COVID-19 in Austria: A Qualitative Study Using Content Analysis with 1505 Participants

Author

Listed:
  • Yvonne Schaffler

    (Department for Psychotherapy and Biopsychosocial Health, Danube University Krems, 3500 Krems, Austria
    Shared first authorship.)

  • Afsaneh Gächter

    (Department for Psychotherapy and Biopsychosocial Health, Danube University Krems, 3500 Krems, Austria
    Shared first authorship.)

  • Rachel Dale

    (Department for Psychotherapy and Biopsychosocial Health, Danube University Krems, 3500 Krems, Austria)

  • Andrea Jesser

    (Department for Psychotherapy and Biopsychosocial Health, Danube University Krems, 3500 Krems, Austria)

  • Thomas Probst

    (Department for Psychotherapy and Biopsychosocial Health, Danube University Krems, 3500 Krems, Austria)

  • Christoph Pieh

    (Department for Psychotherapy and Biopsychosocial Health, Danube University Krems, 3500 Krems, Austria)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent governmental restrictions have had a major impact on the daily lives of Austrians and negatively affected their mental health. A representative sample of N = 1505 individuals was recruited via Qualtrics ® to participate in an online survey between 23 December 2020 and 4 January 2021. A qualitative study design was used to determine the problem areas that emerged since the beginning of the pandemic (question 1), the factors that were the source of the greatest current concern (question 2), the biggest worries when thinking about the future (question 3), and what the most important source of support (question 4) during the pandemic was. The written responses were analyzed using conventional content analysis following a framework for qualitative research and reported in the form of descriptive statistics. Restrictions imposed by the government, sociopolitical developments, work- and health-related issues, and economic disruptions were identified as being the greatest concerns. Conversely, social contacts within and outside the family were the most important source of support, followed by recreational activities and distraction. Greater consideration should be given to psychosocial factors in future decisions to contain the pandemic. More detailed qualitative research, in particular, to collect the personal experience of more vulnerable groups such as young people, women, and the unemployed, is needed.

Suggested Citation

  • Yvonne Schaffler & Afsaneh Gächter & Rachel Dale & Andrea Jesser & Thomas Probst & Christoph Pieh, 2021. "Concerns and Support after One Year of COVID-19 in Austria: A Qualitative Study Using Content Analysis with 1505 Participants," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-21, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:15:p:8218-:d:607563
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Rachel Dale & Sanja Budimir & Thomas Probst & Peter Stippl & Christoph Pieh, 2021. "Mental Health during the COVID-19 Lockdown over the Christmas Period in Austria and the Effects of Sociodemographic and Lifestyle Factors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-15, April.
    2. Christoph Pieh & Thomas Probst & Sanja Budimir & Elke Humer, 2021. "Associations between Relationship Quality and Mental Health during COVID-19 in the United Kingdom," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-6, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Cited by:

    1. Yvonne Schaffler & Martin Kuska & Antonia Barke & Bettina K. Doering & Katharina Gossmann & Zdenek Meier & Natalia Kascakova & Peter Tavel & Elke Humer & Christoph Pieh & Peter Stippl & Wolfgang Schim, 2022. "Psychotherapists’ Reports regarding the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Their Patients: A Cross-National Descriptive Study Based on the Social-Ecological Model (SEM)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(11), pages 1-19, June.
    2. Hanns Moshammer & Michael Poteser & Lisbeth Weitensfelder, 2022. "COVID-19: Regional Differences in Austria," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-18, January.

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