Protective Elements of Mental Health Status during the COVID-19 Outbreak in the Portuguese Population

The outbreak of COVID-19 might produce dramatic psychological effects on individuals' lives. In this study, we aimed to explore the elements that may reduce the negative effects on mental health of the quarantine period imposed by most governments during this worldwide crisis. We conducted an online survey to evaluate demographic, lifestyle and mental health variables in a sample of 1280 Portuguese individuals (79.8% females) with an average age of 37 years. We observed that factors related to living conditions, maintaining work either online or in the workplace, frequency of exercise and absence of previous psychological or physic disorders are protective features of psychological well-being (anxiety, depression, stress and obsessive-compulsive symptoms). Finally, the individuals previously receiving psychotherapeutic support exhibited better psychological indicators if they did not interrupt the process as a consequence of the outbreak. Our results indicate that the practice of physical exercise, reduced consumption of COVID-19 information and the implementation of remote mental healthcare measures might prevent larger impacts on mental health during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Automated summary

The study conducted on Portuguese individuals found that factors related to living conditions, work status, exercise frequency, and history of psychological disorders were associated with better psychological well-being during the COVID-19 outbreak. Additionally, maintaining psychotherapeutic support without interruption was also found to be beneficial for psychological indicators. Implementing measures such as physical exercise, limiting exposure to COVID-19 information, and remote mental healthcare services may help in preventing significant impacts on mental health during the pandemic.