Subjective well-being and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic in Hungary
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the impact of COVID-19 pandemics on subjective well-being (SWB) and mental health in Hungary, with a particular focus on the roles of socioeconomic and COVID-19-related factors in shaping these outcomes.
Design/methodology/approach
A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 2,000 Hungarian adults from May 25 to June 8, 2021. The data was collected using standardized questionnaires, including the SWLS, GAD-7 and PHQ-9. Correlation analysis, one-way ANOVA and linear regression were used.
Findings
The study found significant anxiety (41.5%), depression (48.1%) and life dissatisfaction (41.9%) among 2,000 participants. Females reported higher anxiety and depression than males. Single individuals had the lowest life satisfaction. Higher income levels are correlated with greater life satisfaction. Quarantine and vaccination were linked to higher life satisfaction and lower psychological distress. The regression showed that older age, being married and higher income were linked to lower depression and anxiety. Severity of infection and quarantine increased both depression and anxiety. Infection reduced life satisfaction, but severe cases showed a slight improvement in satisfaction, highlighting complex health and well-being relationships.
Practical implications
The findings reveal complex relationships, including unexpected resilience in severe COVID-19 cases.
Originality/value
This study offers insights into the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on SWB and mental health in Hungary. By analyzing socioeconomic, demographic and pandemic-related factors in a large sample, it highlights complex relationships between quarantine, infection severity, vaccination and well-being. The findings contribute to understanding how these factors influence mental health, informing targeted interventions during health crises.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to express sincere gratitude to Prof. Brodszky Valentin for taking the time to read the initial draft of this manuscript. His valuable insights and constructive suggestions have greatly contributed to improving the clarity and overall quality of the paper.
Statements and Declarations.
Funding: The data collection was supported by the Higher Education Institutional Excellence Program 2020 of the Ministry of Innovation and Technology in the framework of the Financial and Public Services research project (TKP2020-IKA-02) at the Corvinus University of Budapest.
Competing Interests: The authors have no relevant financial or nonfinancial interests to disclose.
Intellectual property: There are no patents, copyrights or other intellectual property claims related to this research.
Ethics approval: Permission for conducting the study was granted by the Research Ethics Committee of Corvinus University Budapest (reference No. KRH/109/2021).
Consent to participate: Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.
Authors’ contributions: XF conducted the study.
Conflicts of interest: There are no conflicts of interest.
Citation
Xu, F. (2024), "Subjective well-being and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic in Hungary", Mental Health and Social Inclusion, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/MHSI-10-2024-0178
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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