Rural Resilience Levels and Health-Related Quality Of Life During The COVID-19 Pandemic
Tracks
Balcony 1+2 - In Person Only
| Thursday, November 10, 2022 |
| 1:20 PM - 1:40 PM |
Overview
Dr Sue Thomas, Wollongong University
Speaker
Dr Sue Thomas
Senior Lecturer
Wollongong University
Rural Resilience Levels and Health-Related Quality Of Life During The COVID-19 Pandemic
Abstract
Resilience is defined as the ability to resist, adapt, bounce back or even grow in response to adversity. Understanding levels and predictors of resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australian rural communities may help to guide mental health interventions and community recovery. Additionally, understanding relationships between resilience and domains of health-related quality of life (psychological, social, physical and environmental), may help to guide broader health interventions and resilience-enhancing measures in preparation for future adverse events.
This study is part of the Community Health and Rural/Remote Medicine (CHARM) Project. During 2020-2021, which coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, the study recruited 2300 participants through community social media groups in Australia in rural, regional and metropolitan areas. Participants completed a survey which included the Brief Resilience Scale and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale (WHO-Bref), along with demographic and rurality information.
Resilience levels overall were in the lowest category (“Low”), according to existing norms for the Brief Resilience Scale, across rurality and demographic categories. All Quality of Life domain scores were significantly lower than existing Australian norms, suggesting poorer health-related QOL in the survey respondents, which did not differ significantly by rurality. Higher levels of education were positively related to resilience and QOL. Resilience levels also correlated with multi-faceted QOL.
The results show that survey respondents during the pandemic reported low levels of resilience, across rural, regional and metropolitan Australia. Self-reported QoL was also below Australian norms, across rurality and most demographic variables. Both findings suggest possible impacts of the pandemic. Education level accounted for unique variance in both resilience and multi-domain health-related QoL. The results indicate that resilience may be important to mental and physical health. Positive links between education, resilience and health suggest that education may provide a fertile ground for interventions to build resources to adapt to adversities.
This study is part of the Community Health and Rural/Remote Medicine (CHARM) Project. During 2020-2021, which coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, the study recruited 2300 participants through community social media groups in Australia in rural, regional and metropolitan areas. Participants completed a survey which included the Brief Resilience Scale and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale (WHO-Bref), along with demographic and rurality information.
Resilience levels overall were in the lowest category (“Low”), according to existing norms for the Brief Resilience Scale, across rurality and demographic categories. All Quality of Life domain scores were significantly lower than existing Australian norms, suggesting poorer health-related QOL in the survey respondents, which did not differ significantly by rurality. Higher levels of education were positively related to resilience and QOL. Resilience levels also correlated with multi-faceted QOL.
The results show that survey respondents during the pandemic reported low levels of resilience, across rural, regional and metropolitan Australia. Self-reported QoL was also below Australian norms, across rurality and most demographic variables. Both findings suggest possible impacts of the pandemic. Education level accounted for unique variance in both resilience and multi-domain health-related QoL. The results indicate that resilience may be important to mental and physical health. Positive links between education, resilience and health suggest that education may provide a fertile ground for interventions to build resources to adapt to adversities.
Biography
Dr Sue Thomas is Senior Lecturer in Mental Health and Behavioural Science at Wollongong University's Medical School, and a practicing Clinical Psychologist. She is the Academic Lead at the Mental Illness in Nowra District: Goals and Prevention (MIND the GaP) facility, a joint initiative of the Australian Government, Shoalhaven City Council and UOW. MtG aims to empower the community, improve mental wellbeing services and community resilience in the Shoalhaven, and deliver innovative regional strategies in mental health and wellbeing that will inform best practice both in Australia and internationally. Sue’s research focuses on relationships between mental and physical health.
