IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v17y2020i21p8102-d439320.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Feeling Anxious amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: Psychosocial Correlates of Anxiety Symptoms among Filipina Domestic Helpers in Hong Kong

Author

Listed:
  • Nelson C. Y. Yeung

    (The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China)

  • Bishan Huang

    (The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China)

  • Christine Y. K. Lau

    (The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China)

  • Joseph T. F. Lau

    (The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacts psychological well-being (e.g., anxiety symptoms) among the general population of Hong Kong and migrant Filipina domestic helpers (FDHs). Having to live with the employers by law, FDHs’ working environment might affect their well-being during COVID-19 (e.g., household crowdedness/size, insufficiency of protective equipment against COVID-19, increased workload). Research has suggested that coping resources (e.g., social support, COVID-19-related information literacy) and COVID-19-specific worries are associated with people’s well-being during COVID-19. This study examined the psychosocial correlates of probable anxiety among FDHs in Hong Kong amid the COVID-19 pandemic. By purposive sampling, FDHs ( n = 295) were recruited and invited to complete a cross-sectional survey. Participants’ working environment (crowdedness, household size), COVID-19 job arrangements (workload, provision of protective equipment), coping resources (social support, COVID-19 information literacy), COVID-19-specific worries (contracting COVID-19, getting fired if contracting COVID-19), and anxiety symptoms were measured. Multivariate regression results showed that the insufficiency of protective equipment (OR = 1.58, 95%CI: 1.18, 2.11), increased workload (OR = 1.51, 95%CI: 1.02, 2.25), and worries about being fired if getting COVID-19 (OR = 1.32, 95%CI: 1.04, 1.68) were significantly associated with probable anxiety. This was one of the earliest studies to indicate that job arrangements and COVID-19-specific worries significantly contributed to FDHs’ anxiety symptoms. Our findings shed light on the importance of addressing employment-related rights and pandemic-specific worries through interventions among FDHs in Hong Kong during pandemic situations.

Suggested Citation

  • Nelson C. Y. Yeung & Bishan Huang & Christine Y. K. Lau & Joseph T. F. Lau, 2020. "Feeling Anxious amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: Psychosocial Correlates of Anxiety Symptoms among Filipina Domestic Helpers in Hong Kong," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-15, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:21:p:8102-:d:439320
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/21/8102/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/21/8102/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Cuiyan Wang & Riyu Pan & Xiaoyang Wan & Yilin Tan & Linkang Xu & Cyrus S. Ho & Roger C. Ho, 2020. "Immediate Psychological Responses and Associated Factors during the Initial Stage of the 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Epidemic among the General Population in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-25, March.
    2. Hong Yan Li & Hui Cao & Doris Y. P. Leung & Yim Wah Mak, 2020. "The Psychological Impacts of a COVID-19 Outbreak on College Students in China: A Longitudinal Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-11, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Nashit Chowdhury & Ankit Kainth & Atobrhan Godlu & Honey Abigail Farinas & Saif Sikdar & Tanvir C. Turin, 2022. "Mental Health and Well-Being Needs among Non-Health Essential Workers during Recent Epidemics and Pandemics," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-30, May.
    2. Winata, Fikriyah & McLafferty, Sara L., 2023. "Therapeutic landscapes, networks, and health and wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic: A mixed-methods study among female domestic workers," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 322(C).
    3. Qijin Cheng & Christine Vicera, 2022. "Online Peer-Support Group’s Role in Addressing Filipino Domestic Workers’ Social Support Needs: Content and Social Media Metrics Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-16, August.
    4. Gaia Sampogna & Maurizio Pompili & Andrea Fiorillo, 2022. "The Short-Term Consequences of COVID-19 on Mental Health: State of the Art from Available Studies," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-5, November.
    5. Timothy S. Sumerlin & Jean H. Kim & Zixin Wang & Alvin Yik-Kiu Hui & Roger Y. Chung, 2022. "Determinants of COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake among Female Foreign Domestic Workers in Hong Kong: A Cross-Sectional Quantitative Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-14, May.
    6. Ken Hok Man Ho & Chen Yang & Alex Kwun Yat Leung & Daniel Bressington & Wai Tong Chien & Qijin Cheng & Daphne Sze Ki Cheung, 2022. "Peer Support and Mental Health of Migrant Domestic Workers: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-16, June.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Lucía del Río-Casanova & Milagrosa Sánchez-Martín & Ana García-Dantas & Anabel González-Vázquez & Ania Justo, 2021. "Psychological Responses According to Gender during the Early Stage of COVID-19 in Spain," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-20, April.
    2. Xi Wang & Yuntao Zou, 2023. "Psychological Research of College Students Based on Online Education under COVID-19," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-19, January.
    3. Rosa Bosch & Mireia Pagerols & Raquel Prat & Gemma Español-Martín & Cristina Rivas & Montserrat Dolz & Josep Maria Haro & Josep Antoni Ramos-Quiroga & Marta Ribasés & Miquel Casas, 2022. "Changes in the Mental Health of Children and Adolescents during the COVID-19 Lockdown: Associated Factors and Life Conditions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-17, March.
    4. Annunziata Romeo & Agata Benfante & Lorys Castelli & Marialaura Di Tella, 2021. "Psychological Distress among Italian University Students Compared to General Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-8, March.
    5. Stephen X. Zhang & Hao Huang & Jizhen Li & Mayra Antonelli-Ponti & Scheila Farias de Paiva & José Aparecido da Silva, 2021. "Predictors of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms in Brazil during COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-10, June.
    6. Liliana Dumitrache & Elena Stănculescu & Mariana Nae & Daniela Dumbrăveanu & Gabriel Simion & Ana Maria Taloș & Alina Mareci, 2021. "Post-Lockdown Effects on Students’ Mental Health in Romania: Perceived Stress, Missing Daily Social Interactions, and Boredom Proneness," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-17, August.
    7. Stéphanie Bourion-Bédès & Hélène Rousseau & Martine Batt & Pascale Tarquinio & Romain Lebreuilly & Christine Sorsana & Karine Legrand & Rabah Machane & Cyril Tarquinio & Cédric Baumann, 2022. "Mental Health Status of French School-Aged Children’s Parents during the COVID-19 Lockdown and Its Associated Factors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-13, September.
    8. Rachele Mariani & Alessia Renzi & Cinzia Di Monte & Elena Petrovska & Michela Di Trani, 2021. "The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Primary Emotional Systems and Emotional Regulation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-8, May.
    9. Paula Rodríguez-Fernández & Josefa González-Santos & Mirian Santamaría-Peláez & Raúl Soto-Cámara & Jerónimo J. González-Bernal, 2021. "Exploring the Occupational Balance of Young Adults during Social Distancing Measures in the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-9, May.
    10. María Dolores Hidalgo & Nekane Balluerka & Arantxa Gorostiaga & José Pedro Espada & Miguel Ángel Santed & José Luis Padilla & Juana Gómez-Benito, 2020. "The Psychological Consequences of COVID-19 and Lockdown in the Spanish Population: An Exploratory Sequential Design," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-17, November.
    11. Ying Guo & Hongyu Zhang & Yufei Xie & Xin Tian & Na Luo & Yan Zhang, 2022. "A Cross-Sectional Survey of National Chinese College Students’ Mental Status during COVID-19 Pandemic: Using a Compiled Stress Response Questionnaire," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-13, September.
    12. Roberto Mazzola & Matteo Bozzi & Italo Testa & Susanna Sancassani & Maurizio Zani, 2023. "An Extensive Questionnaire about Metacognition during Emergency Remote Teaching Involving More Than 3000 Engineering Students," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-11, January.
    13. Hugh McCall & Janine Beahm & Caeleigh Landry & Ziyin Huang & R. Nicholas Carleton & Heather Hadjistavropoulos, 2020. "How Have Public Safety Personnel Seeking Digital Mental Healthcare Been Affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic? An Exploratory Mixed Methods Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-11, December.
    14. J. Pierre Zila-Velasque & Pamela Grados-Espinoza & Naomi Coba-Villan & Jocelyn Quispe-Chamorro & Yesenia F. Taipe-Guillén & Estefany Pacheco & Laura Ccasa-Valero & Virgilio E. Failoc-Rojas & Cristian , 2022. "Mental Disorders and Level of Resilience in Eight High-Altitude Cities of Peru during the Second Pandemic Wave: A Multicenter Population-Based Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-19, December.
    15. Hee-Kyung Kim, 2022. "In the COVID-19 Era, Effects of Job Stress, Coping Strategies, Meaning in Life and Resilience on Psychological Well-Being of Women Workers in the Service Sector," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-15, August.
    16. Isabel Mercader Rubio & Pilar Sánchez-López & Nieves Gutiérrez Ángel & Nieves Fátima Oropesa Ruiz, 2022. "Psychological Consequences of Fear of COVID-19: Symptom Analysis of Triggered Anxiety and Depression Disorders in Adolescents and Young Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-8, October.
    17. S. Brent Jackson & Kathryn T. Stevenson & Lincoln R. Larson & M. Nils Peterson & Erin Seekamp, 2021. "Outdoor Activity Participation Improves Adolescents’ Mental Health and Well-Being during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-18, March.
    18. Piotr Długosz & Damian Liszka & Anastasiia Bastrakova & Luydmila Yuzva, 2022. "Health Problems of Students during Distance Learning in Central and Eastern Europe: A Cross-Sectional Study of Poland and Ukraine," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-16, August.
    19. Artem Kashtanov & Ekaterina Molotok & Andrey Yavorovskiy & Alexander Boyarkov & Yuriy Vasil’ev & Ali Alsaegh & Sergey Dydykin & Olesya Kytko & Renata Meylanova & Yulianna Enina & Vasiliy Troitskiy & M, 2022. "A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study Assessing the Psycho-Emotional State of Intensive Care Units’ Physicians and Nurses of COVID-19 Hospitals of a Russian Metropolis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-22, February.
    20. Federica Bianco & Annalisa Levante & Serena Petrocchi & Flavia Lecciso & Ilaria Castelli, 2021. "Maternal Psychological Distress and Children’s Internalizing/Externalizing Problems during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Moderating Role Played by Hypermentalization," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-15, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:21:p:8102-:d:439320. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.