Qualitative Study of Public Mental Health and Lifestyle Behaviours in Malaysia During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Abstract Our objective was to explore the Malaysian public’s experience during the lockdown with a focus on mental health and lifestyle behaviour factors. Fifteen Malaysians (10 females, Mage = 37.64, SD = 1.64, range = 20-68) were interviewed about their experience on what were affecting their mental health and lifestyle behaviours. Four main categories were identified: factors affecting (1) mental health and (2) lifestyle behaviours during the pandemic lockdown, and (3) the consequences, and (4) coping strategies during the pandemic. Participants revealed largely negative consequences that affected their mental health and lifestyle behaviours with the factors of deterioration emerging from the environmental to the individual level. Most participants distracted themselves as a form of coping strategy while engaged minimally in other coping behaviours. Our findings showed the complexity underlying the maintenance of mental health and lifestyle behaviours during the pandemic across the individual level to environmental, which affects the design of effective public policies and interventions.