Psychological impact of Covid-19 lockdown in India: Different strokes for different folks

Sharma, Anupam Joya; Subramanyam, Malavika Ambale

The psychological impact of the lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic are widely documented. In India, a family-centric society with a high population density and extreme social stratification, the impact of the lockdown might vary across diverse social groups. However, the patterning in the psychological impact of the lockdown among sexual minorities and persons known to be at higher risk of contracting Covid-19 is not known in the Indian context. We used mixed methods (online survey, n=282 and in-depth interviews, n=14) to investigate whether the psychological impact of the lockdown was different across these groups of Indian adults. We fitted linear and logistic regression models adjusted for sociodemographic covariates. Thematic analysis helped us identify emergent themes in our qualitative narratives. Anxiety was found to be higher among sexual minorities ({beta}=2.44, CI: 0.58, 4.31), high-risk group ({beta}=2.20, CI:0.36, 4.05), and those with history of depression/loneliness ({beta}=3.89, CI:2.34, 5.44). Addiction to pornography was also found to be higher among sexual minorities ({beta}=2.72, CI: 0.09, 5.36). Qualitative findings suggested that sexual minorities likely used pornography and masturbation to cope with the lockdown, given the limited physical access to sexual partners in a society that stigmatizes homosexuality. Moreover, both qualitative and quantitative study findings suggested that greater frequency of calling family members during lockdown could strengthen social relationships and increase social empathy. The study thereby urgently calls for the attention of policymakers to take sensitive and inclusive health decisions for the marginalized and the vulnerable, both during and after the crisis.