The Unintended Consequences of COVID-19 Lockdown: Qualitative Study from a Rural Area in Trichy, India
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61986/ijpem.v1.i2.2024.20Keywords:
consequences, COVID-19, lockdown, rural, unintendedAbstract
Introduction: Different countries had taken several measures to control the spread of COVID-19. India, being a developing country with a huge population had taken several steps, of which the nationwide lockdown was a major initiative during the start of pandemic in April 2000. Though the main objective was to protect the health and save lives, lockdown itself may have various unintended consequences. Since it was first lockdown of its kind, a qualitative study was undertaken to provide a better understanding of its impact.
Objectives: To explore the unintended consequences of COVID-19 lockdown among a rural population in Trichy, India.
Methods and Material: A qualitative study comprising of in-depth interviews was done using descriptive (transcendental) phenomenology, between May-June 2020. Interviews were conducted till data saturation occurred. A total of 23 individuals were included and analysis was done.
Results: Financial issues and difficulty in buying daily items were the negative study findings but we have also identified several positive impact of the lockdown such has spending more time with family, getting to know the neighbors better, switching over to healthy diet and realizing ones purpose of life.
Conclusions: Findings of this study will help all stakeholders in understanding the behavior and psychology of individual residing in a rural area towards lockdown. Analysis of findings from such studies need to be done while implementing lockdown if needed in future to reduce the unintended consequences.
Downloads
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Prabha Thangaraj, Kumarasamy Hemalatha, Satheesh Kumar (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
References
World Health Organization (WHO). Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19). [cited 2021 March 5]. Available from : https://www.who.int/india/emergencies/novel-coronavirus-2019
Press Information Bureau, Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs. Government of India issues Orders prescribing lockdown for containment of COVID-19 Epidemic in the country. 24. March.2020. [cited 2021 March 5]. Available from: https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=200655
Jefferson T, Del Mar C, Dooley L, Ferroni E, Al-Ansary LA, Bawazeer GA et al. Physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses: systematic review. BMJ. 2009;339:b3675. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.b3675
Mandal S, Bhatnagar T, Arinaminpathy N, Agarwal A, Chowdhury A, Murhekar M et al. Prudent public health intervention strategies to control the coronavirus disease 2019 transmission in India: A mathematical model-based approach. Indian J Med Res. 2020;151:190-199. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/ijmr.IJMR_504_20
World Health Organization (WHO). A coordinated Global Research Roadmap. 2019 Novel Coronavirus. [cited 2021 March 7]. Available from: https://www.who.int/blueprint/priority-diseases/key-action/Coronavirus_Roadmap_V9.pdf Accessed on 15.05.21
Groenewald T. A phenomenological research design illustrated. IJQM. 2004;3:42-55. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/160940690400300104
Bauza V, Sclar G.D, Bisoyi A, Owens, A, Ghugey, A, Clasen T. Experience of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Rural Odisha, India: Knowledge, Preventative Actions, and Impacts on Daily Life. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18:2863. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18062863
Rohail I. Impact of lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic in general public in Pakistan. Foundation University Journal of Psychology.2020;4:5-10. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33897/fujp.v4i1.62
Bel CG, Vilaregut A, Carratala E, Garat ST and Testor CP. A Mixed-method Study of Individual, Couple, and Parental Functioning During the State-regulated COVID-19 Lockdown in Spain. Fam Proc.2020;59:1060-1079. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12585
Clarke JL, Kipping R, Chambers S, Willis K, Taylor H, Brophy R et al. Impact of COVID-19 restrictions on pre-school children’s eating, activity and sleep behaviours: a qualitative study. BMJ Open.2021; 11:e051497. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-051497
Nyashanu M, Simbanegavi P, Gibson L. Exploring the impact of COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on informal settlements in Tshwane Gauteng Province, South Africa. Glob Public Health. 2020; 15: 1443-1453. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/17441692.2020.1805787
McKinlay AR, May T, Dawes J, Fancourt D, Burton A. “You’re just there, alone in your room with your thoughts”. A qualitative study about the impact of lockdown among young people during the COVID-19 pandemic among young people living in the UK. BMJ Open 2022;12:e053676. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-053676
Salarvand S, Mousavi M, Almasian M. Family members psychological experience of COVID-19 lockdown: A qualitative study. Health Educ Health Promot. 2022; 10: 99-107. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-257826/v1
Clotworthy A, Dissing AS, Nguyen TL, Jensen AK, Andersen TO, Bilsteen JF et al. ‘Standing together- at a distance’: Documenting changes in mental-health indicators in Denmark during the COVID-19 pandemic. Scand J Public Health.2021;49:79–87. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1403494820956445
Procentese F, Esposito C, Gonzalez Leone F, Agueli B, Arcidiacono C, Freda MF and Di Napoli I. Psychological Lockdown Experiences: Downtime or an Unexpected Time for Being? Front. Psychol. 2021;12:577089. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.577089
Czymara CS, Langenkamp A, Cano T. Cause for concerns: gender inequality in experiencing the COVID-19 lockdown in Germany. European Societies.2021 Feb 19;23(sup1):S68-81. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14616696.2020.1808692