Abstract
Background:
Meaning in life can be of clinical importance in stimulating healthy and preventive health behaviours, and it may also act as a protective factor for psychosocial health from the negative influences due to adverse life events.
Aim:
To study meaning in life and its association with preventive healthcare use, purchase of disinfectants and personal protective equipment (PPE), biopsychosocial health, and perceived influence due to COVID-19.
Methods:
An online survey was conducted among 1456 Chinese adults (≥18 years old) during the COVID-19 pandemic in February 2020 in China. Meaning in life was measured by one question which was extracted from the validated Chinese Purpose in Life (CPIL) test. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the association of meaning in life with preventive healthcare use in the last year, purchase of disinfectants and personal protective equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 epidemic, biopsychosocial health, quality of life, and perceived influence due to COVID-19. Overall influence as well as influence on subdomains were measured, including social activities, daily life arrangement and schedule, diet, physical activities, job stability, financial income, personal learning and creation, mental state/mood, parent-child relationships, child education, romantic relationships, relationships with parents and elders and relationships with relatives / friends / neighbours.
Results:
Higher levels of meaning in life were associated with utilization of preventive healthcare in the last year after adjustment for various potential confounders of socio-demographics and biopsychosocial health. Higher levels of meaning in life were also associated with overall better biopsychosocial health, including less likelihood of having chronic conditions, depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts, lower loneliness levels, fewer somatic symptoms, better self-rated health, higher life satisfaction, as well as better quality of life. Higher levels of meaning in life were associated with less likelihood of negative influences on eating habits and the parent-child relationships due to COVID-19.
Conclusions
Meaning in life is related to uptake of preventive healthcare, better biopsychosocial health and quality of life, and it may also act as a protective factor from the adverse influences on eating habits and the parent-child relationships due to COVID-19. Further studies can investigate the mechanisms and the long-term associations.
Meaning in life can be of clinical importance in stimulating healthy and preventive health behaviours, and it may also act as a protective factor for psychosocial health from the negative influences due to adverse life events.
Aim:
To study meaning in life and its association with preventive healthcare use, purchase of disinfectants and personal protective equipment (PPE), biopsychosocial health, and perceived influence due to COVID-19.
Methods:
An online survey was conducted among 1456 Chinese adults (≥18 years old) during the COVID-19 pandemic in February 2020 in China. Meaning in life was measured by one question which was extracted from the validated Chinese Purpose in Life (CPIL) test. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the association of meaning in life with preventive healthcare use in the last year, purchase of disinfectants and personal protective equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 epidemic, biopsychosocial health, quality of life, and perceived influence due to COVID-19. Overall influence as well as influence on subdomains were measured, including social activities, daily life arrangement and schedule, diet, physical activities, job stability, financial income, personal learning and creation, mental state/mood, parent-child relationships, child education, romantic relationships, relationships with parents and elders and relationships with relatives / friends / neighbours.
Results:
Higher levels of meaning in life were associated with utilization of preventive healthcare in the last year after adjustment for various potential confounders of socio-demographics and biopsychosocial health. Higher levels of meaning in life were also associated with overall better biopsychosocial health, including less likelihood of having chronic conditions, depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts, lower loneliness levels, fewer somatic symptoms, better self-rated health, higher life satisfaction, as well as better quality of life. Higher levels of meaning in life were associated with less likelihood of negative influences on eating habits and the parent-child relationships due to COVID-19.
Conclusions
Meaning in life is related to uptake of preventive healthcare, better biopsychosocial health and quality of life, and it may also act as a protective factor from the adverse influences on eating habits and the parent-child relationships due to COVID-19. Further studies can investigate the mechanisms and the long-term associations.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publication status | Published - 26 Sept 2020 |
| Event | Annual Scientific Meeting 2020 of the Hong Kong College of Community Medicine - Hong Kong, Hong Kong Duration: 26 Sept 2020 → … http://www.hkccm.org.hk/index.php?route=news/news/get_list&category_id=91 |
Conference
| Conference | Annual Scientific Meeting 2020 of the Hong Kong College of Community Medicine |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | Hong Kong |
| City | Hong Kong |
| Period | 26/09/20 → … |
| Internet address |
Keywords
- COVID-19
- Biopsychosocial health
