Professor Richard Porter: “… we may be able to find better ways of dealing with any disruption to people's rhythms and the resulting impact on their mood and quality of life.”Christchurch researchers are part of an international effort to understand how isolation and the disruption of routines associated with COVID-19 have affected people with mood disorders such as bipolar disorder and depression.
Professor Richard Porter (University of Otago, Christchurch) says the COVID-19 crisis, particularly the lockdown, resulted in significant changes to people's lives. This included changes to their ability to socialise with others or go about their usual work and personal routines. He and his team are working with researchers from America, Australia, Canada and parts of Europe on an online study of more than 2,000 people with mood disorders. More than 200 New Zealanders will be recruited.
The international research effort focuses particularly on the impact of COVID-19 on daily routines such as getting out of bed, eating meals, exercising, socialising and sleep patterns.
Experts believe mood disorders are particularly sensitive to disrupted rhythms – body rhythms and social rhythms. “The COVID-19 crisis has created an environment in which body and social rhythms have been disrupted, and the health of those people with mood disorders may also have been disrupted,” Porter says.
“By studying the impact of the COVID-19 situation we may be able to find better ways of dealing with any disruption to people's rhythms and the resulting impact on their mood and quality of life.”
Of particular interest will be any differences emerging between countries which have experienced varying levels of restriction. “Different countries had different levels of lockdown, will be at different stages when the study is done and are in different seasons.”
The researchers hope to have completed the survey and analysed results by the end of 2020.
Funding
University of Otago