IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v17y2020i24p9382-d462414.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Psychological Impact of ‘Mild Lockdown’ in Japan during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Nationwide Survey under a Declared State of Emergency

Author

Listed:
  • Tetsuya Yamamoto

    (Graduate School of Technology, Industrial and Social Sciences, Tokushima University, 1-1, Minamijosanjima-cho, Tokushima 770-8502, Japan)

  • Chigusa Uchiumi

    (Graduate School of Technology, Industrial and Social Sciences, Tokushima University, 1-1, Minamijosanjima-cho, Tokushima 770-8502, Japan)

  • Naho Suzuki

    (Faculty of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Tokushima University, 1-1, Minamijosanjima-cho, Tokushima 770-8502, Japan)

  • Junichiro Yoshimoto

    (Graduate School of Science and Technology, NAIST, 8916-5 Takayama-cho, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan)

  • Eric Murillo-Rodriguez

    (Escuela de Medicina, División Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Anáhuac Mayab, Carr. Mérida Progreso Km. 15.5, Mérida C.P. 97310, Mexico)

Abstract

This study examined the psychological distress caused by non-coercive lockdown (mild lockdown) in Japan. An online survey was conducted with 11,333 people (52.4% females; mean age = 46.3 ± 14.6 years, range = 18–89 years) during the mild lockdown in the seven prefectures most affected by COVID-19 infection. Over one-third (36.6%) of participants experienced mild-to-moderate psychological distress (Kessler Psychological Distress Scale [K6] score 5–12), while 11.5% reported serious psychological distress (K6 score ≥ 13). The estimated prevalence of depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score ≥ 10) was 17.9%. Regarding the distribution of K6 scores, the proportion of those with psychological distress in this study was significantly higher when compared with the previous national survey data from 2010, 2013, 2016, and 2019. Healthcare workers, those with a history of treatment for mental illness, and younger participants (aged 18–19 or 20–39 years) showed particularly high levels of psychological distress. Psychological distress severity was influenced by specific interactional structures of risk factors: high loneliness, poor interpersonal relationships, COVID-19-related sleeplessness and anxiety, deterioration of household economy, and work and academic difficulties. Even when non-coercive lockdowns are implemented, people’s mental health should be considered, and policies to prevent mental health deterioration are needed. Cross-disciplinary public–private sector efforts tailored to each individual’s problem structure are important to address the mental health issues arising from lockdown.

Suggested Citation

  • Tetsuya Yamamoto & Chigusa Uchiumi & Naho Suzuki & Junichiro Yoshimoto & Eric Murillo-Rodriguez, 2020. "The Psychological Impact of ‘Mild Lockdown’ in Japan during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Nationwide Survey under a Declared State of Emergency," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-19, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:24:p:9382-:d:462414
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/24/9382/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/24/9382/
    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. Cristina Mazza & Eleonora Ricci & Silvia Biondi & Marco Colasanti & Stefano Ferracuti & Christian Napoli & Paolo Roma, 2020. "A Nationwide Survey of Psychological Distress among Italian People during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Immediate Psychological Responses and Associated Factors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-14, May.
    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. Hiroshi Murayama & Ryo Okubo & Takahiro Tabuchi, 2021. "Increase in Social Isolation during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Association with Mental Health: Findings from the JACSIS 2020 Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-12, August.
    2. Shan Lu & Wonseok Oh & Ryozo Ooka & Lijun Wang, 2022. "Effects of Environmental Features in Small Public Urban Green Spaces on Older Adults’ Mental Restoration: Evidence from Tokyo," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-22, April.
    3. Jingjing Zhao & Mengyu Yan & Bingbing Fan & Yueyang Zhang & Anwar Oguz & Yuying Wang & Juzhe Xi, 2022. "Changing Social Mentality among University Students in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Five-Wave Longitudinal Study in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-19, March.
    4. Nataliya Nerobkova & Soo Young Kim & Eun-Cheol Park & Jaeyong Shin, 2022. "Workplace Mistreatment and Health Conditions Prior and during the COVID-19 in South Korea: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-11, October.
    5. Nagisa Sugaya & Tetsuya Yamamoto & Naho Suzuki & Chigusa Uchiumi, 2021. "Alcohol Use and Its Related Psychosocial Effects during the Prolonged COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan: A Cross-Sectional Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-13, December.
    6. Chie Hirama & Zechen Zeng & Nobutoshi Nawa & Takeo Fujiwara, 2022. "Association between Cooperative Attitude and High-Risk Behaviors on the Spread of COVID-19 Infection among Medical Students in Japan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-10, December.
    7. Seulkee Heo & Miraj U. Desai & Sarah R. Lowe & Michelle L. Bell, 2021. "Impact of Changed Use of Greenspace during COVID-19 Pandemic on Depression and Anxiety," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-18, May.
    8. Zhehao Ren & Ruiyun Li & Tao Zhang & Bin Chen & Che Wang & Miao Li & Shuang Song & Yixiong Xiao & Bo Xu & Zhaoyang Liu & Chong Shen & Dabo Guan & Lin Hou & Ke Deng & Yuqi Bai & Peng Gong & Bing Xu, 2021. "Reduction of Human Mobility Matters during Early COVID-19 Outbreaks: Evidence from India, Japan and China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-15, March.
    9. Takahiko Yoshimoto & Tomoko Fujii & Hiroyuki Oka & Satoshi Kasahara & Kayo Kawamata & Ko Matsudaira, 2021. "Pain Status and Its Association with Physical Activity, Psychological Stress, and Telework among Japanese Workers with Pain during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-10, May.
    10. Gina Voss & Andreia F. Paiva & Alice Delerue Matos, 2021. "A Study of the Association between the Stringency of Covid-19 Government Measures and Depression in Older Adults across Europe and Israel," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-12, July.
    11. Mduduzi Colani Shongwe & Song-Lih Huang, 2021. "Suicidal Ideation and Predictors of Psychological Distress during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Eswatini: A Population-Based Household Telephone Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-22, June.
    12. Tore Bonsaksen & Mariyana Schoultz & Hilde Thygesen & Mary Ruffolo & Daicia Price & Janni Leung & Amy Østertun Geirdal, 2021. "Loneliness and Its Associated Factors Nine Months after the COVID-19 Outbreak: A Cross-National Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-11, March.
    13. Masaya Kobayashi & Hikari Ishido & Jiro Mizushima & Hirotaka Ishikawa, 2022. "Multi-Dimensional Dynamics of Psychological Health Disparities under the COVID-19 in Japan: Fairness/Justice in Socio-Economic and Ethico-Political Factors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-45, December.
    14. Masatoshi Tahara & Yuki Mashizume & Kayoko Takahashi, 2020. "Coping Mechanisms: Exploring Strategies Utilized by Japanese Healthcare Workers to Reduce Stress and Improve Mental Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(1), pages 1-12, December.
    15. Takashi Oshio & Hiromi Kimura & Toshimi Nishizaki & Susumu Kuwahara, 2022. "At Which Area Level Does COVID-19 Infection Matter Most for an Individual’s Self-Rated Health? A Multilevel Fixed-Effects Model Analysis in Japan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-11, July.
    16. Naho Suzuki & Tetsuya Yamamoto & Chigusa Uchiumi & Nagisa Sugaya, 2021. "Effects of Interoceptive Sensibility on Mental Health during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-11, April.
    17. Takashi Oshio & Hiromi Kimura & Shingo Nakazawa & Susumu Kuwahara, 2023. "Evolutions of Self-Rated Health and Social Interactions during the COVID-19 Pandemic Affected by Pre-Pandemic Conditions: Evidence from a Four-Wave Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-11, March.

    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. 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.
    2. Ankica Kosic & Tamara Džamonja Ignjatović & Nebojša Petrović, 2021. "A Cross-Cultural Study of Distress during COVID-19 Pandemic: Some Protective and Risk Factors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-15, July.
    3. Stefania Scuri & Marina Tesauro & Fabio Petrelli & Ninfa Argento & Genny Damasco & Giovanni Cangelosi & Cuc Thi Thu Nguyen & Demetris Savva & Iolanda Grappasonni, 2022. "Use of an Online Platform to Evaluate the Impact of Social Distancing Measures on Psycho-Physical Well-Being in the COVID-19 Era," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(11), pages 1-10, June.
    4. 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.
    5. Mateusz Ciski & Krzysztof Rząsa, 2023. "Multiscale Geographically Weighted Regression in the Investigation of Local COVID-19 Anomalies Based on Population Age Structure in Poland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(10), pages 1-23, May.
    6. José Pais-Ribeiro & Alexandra Ferreira-Valente & Margarida Jarego & Elisabet Sánchez-Rodríguez & Jordi Miró, 2022. "COVID-19 Pandemic in Portugal: Psychosocial and Health-Related Factors Associated with Psychological Discomfort," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-13, March.
    7. Juan Gómez-Salgado & Montserrat Andrés-Villas & Sara Domínguez-Salas & Diego Díaz-Milanés & Carlos Ruiz-Frutos, 2020. "Related Health Factors of Psychological Distress During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Spain," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-16, June.
    8. Daniela Marchetti & Roberta Maiella & Rocco Palumbo & Melissa D’Ettorre & Irene Ceccato & Marco Colasanti & Adolfo Di Crosta & Pasquale La Malva & Emanuela Bartolini & Daniela Biasone & Nicola Mammare, 2023. "Self-Reported Mental Health and Psychosocial Correlates during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Data from the General Population in Italy," Data, MDPI, vol. 8(6), pages 1-7, June.
    9. Mohammad Farhan Al. Qudah & Ismael Salamah Albursan & Heba Ibraheem Hammad & Ahmad Mohammad Alzoubi & Salaheldin Farah Bakhiet & Abdullah M. Almanie & Soltan S. Alenizi & Suliman S. Aljomaa & Mohammed, 2021. "Anxiety about COVID-19 Infection, and Its Relation to Smartphone Addiction and Demographic Variables in Middle Eastern Countries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-14, October.
    10. Eriona Thartori & Concetta Pastorelli & Flavia Cirimele & Chiara Remondi & Maria Gerbino & Emanuele Basili & Ainzara Favini & Carolina Lunetti & Irene Fiasconaro & Gian Vittorio Caprara, 2021. "Exploring the Protective Function of Positivity and Regulatory Emotional Self-Efficacy in Time of Pandemic COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-19, December.
    11. Fang-Yi Tsai & Hannah Schillok & Michaela Coenen & Christina Merkel & Caroline Jung-Sievers & on behalf of the COSMO Study Group, 2022. "The Well-Being of the German Adult Population Measured with the WHO-5 over Different Phases of the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Analysis within the COVID-19 Snapshot Monitoring Study (COSMO)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-27, March.
    12. Anna Maria Cybulska & Katarzyna Głębicka & Marzanna Stanisławska & Aneta Cymbaluk-Płoska & Elżbieta Grochans & Kamila Rachubińska, 2023. "The Relationship between Social Support and Mental Health Problems of Peri- and Postmenopausal Women during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-14, January.
    13. Manuel Maciel-Saldierna & Emmanuel Elizondo-Hernández & Gabino Cervantes-Guevara & Enrique Cervantes-Pérez & Guillermo Alonso Cervantes-Cardona & Bertha Georgina Guzmán-Ramírez & Irma Valeria Brancacc, 2022. "Prevalence of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress in Junior High School Students in Guadalajara, Mexico: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-10, November.
    14. Agnes Y. K. Lai & George O. C. Cheung & Asa C. M. Choi & Man-Ping Wang & Polly S. L. Chan & Angie H. Y. Lam & Esther W. S. Lo & Chia-Chin Lin & Tai-Hing Lam, 2022. "Mental Health, Support System, and Perceived Usefulness of Support in University Students in Hong Kong Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mixed-Method Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-18, October.
    15. Maria Rosaria Gualano & Giuseppina Lo Moro & Gianluca Voglino & Fabrizio Bert & Roberta Siliquini, 2020. "Effects of Covid-19 Lockdown on Mental Health and Sleep Disturbances in Italy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-13, July.
    16. Yiyi Chen & Ye Liu, 2021. "Which Risk Factors Matter More for Psychological Distress during the COVID-19 Pandemic? An Application Approach of Gradient Boosting Decision Trees," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-18, May.
    17. Kata Morvay-Sey & Melinda Trpkovici & Pongrác Ács & Dávid Paár & Ágnes Pálvölgyi, 2022. "Psychological Responses of Hungarian Students during the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-17, September.
    18. Yongdong Shi & Rongsheng Huang & Hanwen Cui, 2021. "Prediction and Analysis of Tourist Management Strategy Based on the SEIR Model during the COVID-19 Period," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-12, October.
    19. Maheen M. Adamson & Angela Phillips & Srija Seenivasan & Julian Martinez & Harlene Grewal & Xiaojian Kang & John Coetzee & Ines Luttenbacher & Ashley Jester & Odette A. Harris & David Spiegel, 2020. "International Prevalence and Correlates of Psychological Stress during the Global COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-16, December.
    20. Giuseppe Forte & Francesca Favieri & Renata Tambelli & Maria Casagrande, 2020. "COVID-19 Pandemic in the Italian Population: Validation of a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Questionnaire and Prevalence of PTSD Symptomatology," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-14, June.

    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:24:p:9382-:d:462414. 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.