Gender-Specificity of Fatigue and Concerns Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Report on the Polish Population
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Recruitment of Participants and Procedure
- (a)
- The sample size in each voivodeship should be proportional to the population of the voivodeship;
- (b)
- In each voivodeship, the proportion of sex and age (18–39; 40–59; 60+) needs to be maintained;
- (c)
- In addition, the proportion of urban and rural residents by sex and age (18–39; 40–59; 60+) must be maintained nationwide.
2.2. Questionnaire
2.3. Statistical Analyses
3. Results
3.1. Subjects
3.2. Pandemic Fatigue and Concern by Gender—Comparison of Aggregate Indicators
3.3. Pandemic Fatigue and Gender—Analysis of Specific Indicators According to the Pandemic Fatigue Scale (PFS)
3.4. Subjective Symptoms of Pandemic Fatigue and Gender—Analysis of Specific Indicators According to the Subjective Fatigue Symptoms Scale (SFS-6)
3.5. COVID-19-Pandemic-Related Concerns by Gender—Analysis of Specific Indicators According to the COVID-19 Concerns Checklist
3.6. Other Determinants of Fatigue and Concern about the COVID-19 Pandemic
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Supplementary Materials
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Women % (n) | Men % (n) | Total % (n) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
52.4 (555) | 47.6 (505) | 100 (1060) | ||
Age | 18–29 | 15.6 (86) | 17.0 (86) | 16.2 (172) |
30–39 | 18.0 (100) | 20.8 (105) | 19.3 (205) | |
40–49 | 18.7 (104) | 24.4 (123) | 21.4 (227) | |
50–59 | 13.3 (74) | 10.3 (52) | 12.0 (126) | |
≥60 | 34.4 (191) | 27.5 (139) | 31.1 (330) | |
Accommodation | Countryside | 36.8 (204) | 39.0 (197) | 37.9 (401) |
Town ≤200,000 | 31.7 (176) | 27.5 (139) | 29.7 (315) | |
Town 200,000–500,000 | 14.2 (79) | 15.5 (78) | 14.8 (157) | |
Town ≥500 | 17.3 (96) | 18.0 (91) | 17.6 (187) | |
Education | Elementary or junior high school | 8.6 (48) | 8.7 (44) | 8.7 (92) |
Basic vocational | 20 (111) | 29.9 (151) | 24.7 (262) | |
Secondary or post-secondary | 39.3 (218) | 33.1 (167) | 36.3 (385) | |
Higher education | 32.1 (178) | 28.3 (143) | 30.3 (321) | |
Employment | Employed (full-time or self-employed) | 56.2 (312) | 67.7 (342) | 61.7 (654) |
Student | 2.5 (14) | 5.5 (28) | 4.0 (42) | |
Unemployed | 3.6 (20) | 3.2 (16) | 3.4 (36) | |
Pensioner/Retiree | 31.7 (176) | 22.6 (114) | 27.4 (290) | |
Household leader | 6.0 (33) | 1.0 (5) | 3.5 (38) | |
Chronic diseases | No disease under treatment | 57.3 (318) | 57.2 (289) | 57.3 (607) |
1 disease | 32.1 (178) | 29.9 (151) | 31.0 (329) | |
More than 1 disease | 10.6 (59) | 12.9 (65) | 11.7 (124) | |
COVID-19 vaccination | Not taking the vaccine | 34.2 (190) | 26.3 (133) | 30.5 (323) |
Only first dose | 3.2 (18) | 7.5 (38) | 5.3 (56) | |
Full vaccination | 62.5 (347) | 66.1 (334) | 64.2 (681) | |
COVID-19 status | Recoverd | 17.1 (95) | 18.8 (95) | 17.9 (190) |
Have not been ill | 66.1 (367) | 63.4 (320) | 64.8 (687) | |
I do not know | 16.8 (93) | 17.8 (90) | 17.3 (183) |
M (SD) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Chi2 (p) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||
Women | 5.02 (1.75) | 22 (4.0) | 44 (7.9) | 59 (10.6) | 52 (9.4) | 111 (20.0) | 131 (23.6) | 136 (24.5) | 17.176 (<0.001) |
Men | 4.65 (1.87) | 28 (5.5) | 54 (10.7) | 78 (15.4) | 52 (10.3) | 101 (20.0) | 80 (15.8) | 112 (22.2) | |
| |||||||||
Women | 4.61 (1.69) | 20 (3.6) | 62 (11.2) | 67 (12.1) | 84 (15.1) | 134 (24.1) | 106 (19.1) | 82 (14.8) | 22.475 (<0.001) |
Men | 4.22 (1.73) | 34 (6.7) | 58 (11.5) | 85 (16.8) | 101 (20.0) | 100 (19.8) | 66 (13.1) | 61 (12.1) | |
| |||||||||
Women | 4.65 (1.74) | 23 (4.1) | 63 (11.4) | 70 (12.6) | 67 (12.1) | 128 (23.1) | 115 (20.7) | 89 (16.0) | 16.644 (<0.05) |
Men | 4.31 (1.85) | 39 (7.7) | 61 (12.1) | 85 (16.8) | 69 (13.7) | 99 (19.6) | 74 (14.7) | 78 (15.4) | |
| |||||||||
Women | 4.90 (1.75) | 20 (3.6) | 52 (9.4) | 60 (10.8) | 59 (10.6) | 139 (25.0) | 93 (16.8) | 132 (23.8) | 8.606 (0.197) |
Men | 4.64 (1.83) | 29 (5.7) | 49 (9.7) | 75 (14.9) | 58 (11.5) | 111 (22.0) | 78 (15.4) | 105 (20.8) | |
| |||||||||
Women | 4.00 (1.88) | 55 (9.9) | 92 (16.6) | 94 (16.9) | 85 (15.3) | 85 (15.3) | 76 (13.7) | 68 (12.3) | 5.924 (0.635) |
Men | 3.94 (1.95) | 60 (11.9) | 85 (16.8) | 80 (15.8) | 86 (17.0) | 63 (12.5) | 56 (11.1) | 75 (14.9) | |
| |||||||||
Women | 4.15 (1.75) | 31 (5.6) | 89 (16.0) | 85 (15.3) | 121 (21.8) | 84 (15.1) | 79 (14.2) | 66 (12.0) | 9.541 (0.142) |
Men | 3.99 (1.86) | 48 (9.5) | 89 (17.6) | 67 (13.3) | 107 (21.2) | 72 (14.3) | 55 (10.8) | 67 (13.3) |
SFS-6 | M (SD) | Not at All | To a Small Extent | Moderately | Fairly Intensively | Very Intensively | Chi2 (p) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Feeling overwhelmed by the need to stay connected online with people while feeling a lack of real human contact | women | 2.76 (1.23) | 115 (20.7) | 113 (20.4) | 163 (29.4) | 119 (21.4) | 45 (8.1) | 16.444 (<0.01) |
men | 2.50 (1.21) | 130 (25.7) | 132 (26.1) | 138 (27.3) | 69 (13.7) | 36 (7.1) | ||
A sense of over-stimulation related to the use of technology for online contact (e.g., multiple apps, frequency of online meetings, use of camera, etc.). | women | 2.63 (1.20) | 131 (23.6) | 113 (20.4) | 137 (31.2) | 104 (18.7) | 34 (6.1) | 14.760 (<0.001) |
men | 2.37 (1.18) | 155 (30.7) | 122 (24.2) | 140 (27.7) | 64 (12.7) | 24 (4.8) | ||
Sleep problems (drowsiness despite adequate sleep intake or insomnia, disturbed sleep rhythm) | women | 2.59 (1.24) | 133 (24.0) | 136 (24.5) | 161 (29.0) | 76 (13.7) | 49 (8.8) | 14.068 (<0.01) |
men | 2.38 (1.23) | 163 (32.3) | 120 (23.8) | 118 (23.4) | 76 (15.0) | 28 (5.5) | ||
Feeling of lack of energy and/or reduced ability to perform daily tasks | women | 2.70 (1.18) | 104 (18.7) | 139 (25.0) | 171 (30.9) | 100 (18.0) | 41 (7.4) | 8.770 (0.005) |
men | 2.50 (1.15) | 118 (23.4) | 143 (28.3) | 141 (27.9) | 80 (15.8) | 23 (4.6) | ||
Emotional strain and/or mental discomfort | women | 2.62 (1.15) | 110 (19.8) | 144 (26.0) | 183 (32.9) | 83 (15.0) | 35 (6.3) | 5.423 (0.215) |
men | 2.53 (1.19) | 129 (25.5) | 115 (22.8) | 155 (30.7) | 76 (15.0) | 30 (6.0) | ||
Difficulty in focusing attention and organising one’s own mental activity | women | 2.32 (1.08) | 163 (29.4) | 140 (25.2) | 184 (33.2) | 50 (9.0) | 18 (3.2) | 2.755 (0.767) |
men | 2.30 (1.14) | 162 (32.1) | 124 (24.6) | 148 (29.3) | 50 (9.8) | 21 (4.2) |
Concerns | Gender | M (SD) | Not at All | Minor Level | Moderately | High Level | Very High Level | Chi2 (p) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Losing someone you love | women | 3.14 (1.21) | 59 (10.6) | 101 (18.2) | 195 (35.1) | 105 (18.9) | 95 (17.1) | 12.012 (<0.05) |
men | 2.93 (1.16) | 68 (13.5) | 102 (20.2) | 184 (36.4) | 100 (19.8) | 51 (10.1) | ||
Health system overload | women | 3.63 (1.08) | 27 (4.9) | 51 (9.2) | 149 (26.8) | 204 (36.8) | 124 (22.3) | 18.820 (<0.001) |
men | 3.35 (1.14) | 46 (9.1) | 51 (10.1) | 170 (33.7) | 155 (30.7) | 83 (16.4) | ||
Unemployment growth | women | 3.35 (1.07) | 38 (6.8) | 66 (11.9) | 189 (34.1) | 190 (34.2) | 72 (13.0) | 21.373 (<0.001) |
men | 3.05 (1.14) | 66 (13.1) | 69 (13.7) | 192 (38.0) | 128 (25.3) | 50 (9.9) | ||
Price increase | women | 4.28 (0.92) | 9 (1.6) | 17 (3.1) | 72 (13.0) | 171 (30.8) | 286 (51.5) | 15.885 (<0.01) |
men | 4.04 (1.09) | 20 (4.0) | 26 (5.1) | 91 (18.0) | 145 (28.7) | 223 (44.2) | ||
Financial difficulties due to loss of income | women | 3.48 (1.15) | 33 (5.9) | 74 (13.3) | 168 (30.3) | 156 (28.1) | 124 (22.3) | 16.856 (<0.01) |
men | 3.20 (1.18) | 51 (10.1) | 74 (14.7) | 182 (36.0) | 118 (23.4) | 80 (15.8) | ||
The occurrence of an economic crisis | women | 3.87 (0.99) | 12 (2.2) | 39 (7.0) | 123 (22.2) | 218 (39.3) | 163 (29.4) | 30.860 (0.001) |
men | 3.51 (1.10) | 27 (5.3) | 58 (11.5) | 151 (29.9) | 167 (33.1) | 102 (20.2) | ||
Re-Lockdown | women | 3.61 (1.06) | 28 (5.0) | 45 (8.1) | 159 (28.6) | 205 (36.9) | 118 (21.3) | 22.228 (<0.001) |
men | 3.32 (1.17) | 44 (8.7) | 69 (13.7) | 162 (32.1) | 141 (27.9) | 89 (17.6) | ||
Unpredictability and uncertainty of the course of the pandemic | women | 3.66 (1.01) | 22 (4.0) | 31 (5.6) | 182 (32.8) | 198 (35.7) | 122 (22.0) | 23.200 (<0.001) |
men | 3.36 (1.11) | 39 (7.7) | 55 (10.9) | 175 (34.7) | 157 (31.1) | 79 (15.6) | ||
Disease other than COVID-19 in a pandemic situation | women | 3.33 (1.04) | 30 (5.4) | 71 (12.8) | 218 (39.3) | 157 (28.3) | 79 (14.2) | 8.530 (<0.01) |
men | 3.15 (1.07) | 42 (8.3) | 71 (14.0) | 216 (42.8) | 120 (23.8) | 56 (11.1) | ||
I can be a source of infection for my loved ones | women | 2.63 (1.02) | 78 (14.0) | 174 (31.4) | 204 (36.8) | 75 (13.5) | 24 (4.3) | 6.155 (0.693) |
men | 2.60 (1.04) | 89 (17.6) | 129 (25.5) | 199 (39.4) | 70 (13.9) | 18 (3.6) |
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Domosławska-Żylińska, K.; Krysińska-Pisarek, M.; Włodarczyk, D. Gender-Specificity of Fatigue and Concerns Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Report on the Polish Population. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20, 5407. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20075407
Domosławska-Żylińska K, Krysińska-Pisarek M, Włodarczyk D. Gender-Specificity of Fatigue and Concerns Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Report on the Polish Population. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2023; 20(7):5407. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20075407
Chicago/Turabian StyleDomosławska-Żylińska, Katarzyna, Magdalena Krysińska-Pisarek, and Dorota Włodarczyk. 2023. "Gender-Specificity of Fatigue and Concerns Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Report on the Polish Population" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 20, no. 7: 5407. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20075407