Impact of COVID-19 on people with Down syndrome in Japan based on regional differences frequency of emergency declarations

Purpose The purpose of this study was to clarify the impact of adults with Down syndrome (DS) on COVID-19 and the status of efforts for new normal in Japan through a Web survey. Design/methodology/approach Parents’ associations’ representatives sent requests to members aged 18 years or older inviting them to participate in an Internet survey. A total of 141 people cooperated, and 126 people were included in the analysis. Findings As a result of examining the number of times the state of emergency was declared and its impact on COVID-19, the degree of anxiety felt when hearing information about new coronavirus infections on television or the internet was significantly higher in subjects for whom the state of emergency was declared four times than in subjects for whom the state of emergency was declared two and three times in the region. This was significantly higher than that of the subjects in the areas where the state of emergency had been declared four times and significantly lower than that of the subjects in the areas where the state of emergency had been declared one time for “smiling”. The results suggest that the effects on physical and mental health, although limited, are influenced by the number of times the state of emergency was declared. From the analysis of the free text, it was inferred that some, but not all, of the subjects with DS, had their physical and mental state affected by COVID-19 to the extent that they required medical care. Originality/value This study clarified the psychosomatic effects of COVID-19 in people with DS in adulthood, which has not yet been fully clarified in the world. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study in Japan to clarify the physical and mental effects of COVID-19 on people with DS and the status of new normal initiatives.