In this article, originally published by Intouch Public Health, we share with Australian medical women the results of the Women’s health and wellbeing during COVID-19: study captured between April to October 2020.
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In December 2020, the PHAA co-convened a special edition virtual conference with the theme: preventing, detecting, controlling and managing COVID-19 – reflections on 2020 and future challenges.
This article is one of a series on the mental health impacts of COVID-19 on the Australian community, as presented by experts to this special conference.
The following captures the impact of COVID on Australian women, and is based on a presentation by Professor Deb Loxton, Deputy Director of the globally significant Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health (ALSWH).
Background
The Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health started in 1996 and tracks four generations of more than 57,000 women, exploring a range of health outcomes.
Research on the impacts of COVID-19 on Australian women commenced in April 2020 with data collected online through a series of short surveys. Most surveys took no more than two minutes to complete, with one theme examined per survey.
Three cohorts were studied: women born from 1946-51 (aged 69-74), from 1973-78 (aged 42-47) and from 1989-95 (aged 25-31). More than 2,000 surveys were completed.
Survey responses
When women were asked how they responded when they had flu like symptoms, three in four who reported flu-like symptoms did not get tested for COVID-19. Older women were less likely to get tested (78.4%) compared to younger women (73.8%).
Responses included:
- I have looked into being tested but it wasn’t clear where to go (1989-95 cohort)
- …really worried I will get it but much too afraid to get tested in case I don’t have it and then get it at a test centre (1973-78 cohort)
- I had a cold. It was obviously a cold. No fever, no dry cough, just a head cold, and the way people treated me was horrible (1989-95 cohort)
- The test for COVID-19 was awful and I cried (1973-78 cohort)
Younger women were more likely to report COVID symptoms (26%) than older women (5%). Younger women also reported greater psychological distress than older women.
- I have a mild anxiety disorder and that has become exponentially worse during this period.
- I have not been depressed in years. This shutdown has brought it all back, I feel anxious, depressed, sad and angry all the time.
Some women, however, reported some benefits resulting from the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 lockdowns.
- I have enjoyed the slowing down and time at home, especially in the garden (1989-95 cohort)
- More walking and outdoor activities are being done because we need to get out which is nice with family members (1973-78 cohort)
- I have enjoyed spending time at home catching up with long overdue tasks and gardening. An opportunity to not be feeling rushed and reflect on the most important things in life (1946-51 cohort)
Survey insights
Many women who had COVID-19 symptoms but chose not to get tested provided valuable insights into why they made the decisions they did. These included:
- The need to provide clearer information about the value of getting tested
- A clear description of how to get a COVID-19 test
- Reducing the unpleasant aspects of testing
- Alleviating the fear of catching COVID-19 at a testing centre.
The survey’s findings were clear that the mental health burden of the pandemic and restrictions is more prominent among younger women.
The survey also found key factors to alleviate the burden of the pandemic included social support and a range of outdoor activities, particularly for people in extended periods of isolation.
Originally published: intouchpublichealth.net.au/2021/01/22/womens-health-and-wellbeing-during-covid-19-study-captures-april-to-october-2020-results/
Associate Professor Magdalena Simonis AM is the Immediate Past President of the AFMW (2020-2023), former President of VMWS (2013 & 2017-2020) and current AFMW National Coordinator (2024-2026). She is a full time clinician who also holds positions on several not for profit organisations, driven by her passion for bridging gaps across the health sector. She is a leading women’s health expert, keynote speaker, climate change and gender equity advocate and government advisor. Magda is member of The Australian Health Team contributing monthly articles.
Magdalena was awarded a lifetime membership of the RACGP for her contributions which include past chair of Women in General Practice, longstanding contribution to the RACGP Expert Committee Quality Care, the RACGP eHealth Expert Committee. She is regularly invited to comment on primary care research though mainstream and medical media and contributes articles on various health issues through newsGP and other publications.
Magdalena has represented the RACGP at senate enquiries and has worked on several National Health Framework reviews. She is author of the RACGP Guide on Female Genital Cosmetic Surgery and co-reviewer of the RACGP Red Book Women’s Health Chapter, and reviewer of the RACGP White book
Both an RACGP examiner and University examiner, she undertakes general practice research and is a GP Educator with the Safer Families Centre of Research Excellence, which develops education tools to assist the primary care sector identify, respond to and manage family violence . Roles outside of RACGP include the Strategy and Policy Committee for Breast Cancer Network Australia, Board Director of the Melbourne University Teaching Health Clinics and the elected GP representative to the AMA Federal Council. In 2022. she was award the AMA (Vic) Patrick Pritzwald-Steggman Award 2022, which celebrates a doctor who has made an exceptional contribution to the wellbeing of their colleagues and the community and was listed as Women’s Agenda 2022 finalist for Emerging Leader in Health.
Magdalena has presented at the United Nations as part of the Australian Assembly and was appointed the Australian representative to the World Health Organisation, World Assembly on COVID 19, by the Medical Women’s International Association (MWIA) in 2021. In 2023, A/Professor Simonis was included on the King’s COVID-19 Champion’s list and was also awarded a Member (AM) in the General Division for significant service to medicine through a range of roles and to women’s health.
