Experiences and Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Thematic Analysis

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted global public health restrictions that impacted Canadians in multiple ways. The effects of the pandemic are well examined in specific populations and in researcher-defined areas (e.g., mental health, physical activity, social connections, and financial impacts). Few studies explore the complex perspectives of adults who experienced and were impacted by the pandemic. The purpose of this study was to understand Canadian adults’ perspectives of pandemic impacts over time. Methods: A sample of 347 Canadian adults were recruited during the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic to respond to open-ended questions about the pandemic’s impacts, administered every two weeks between April 2020 and January 2021. The responses were amalgamated into epochs, defined by dates that paralleled infection rates and public health responses in Canada. Qualitative thematic analysis identified major themes for each epoch and changes in themes over time. Results: The participants predominately reported adverse impacts of the pandemic during each epoch assessed, particularly with respect to mental health, future-oriented worry, activity restrictions, and social, and employment disruptions. Key concerns were potentially driven by changes in infection rates and public health policy changes. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic impacted individuals in predominantly negative and complex ways that varied over time with public health responses. Findings from the present study may direct future pandemic responses to mitigate adverse effects to best prevent infection while preserving wellbeing.