Quality of Life During the First Three Waves of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Two Earthquakes in Croatia

Abstract

In a cross-sectional study, we measured the impact of the first three COVID-19 pandemic waves and two earthquakes, occurring during the same period in Croatia, on the quality of life (QoL) of the general adult population. An online survey consisting of sociodemographic questions, questions related to COVID-19 and earthquake stressors, the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQoL)-BREF scale, Impact of Event Scale, and Patient Health Questionnaire 4 was completed by 220 men and 898 women (mean age, 35.1 ± 12.3 years). In a series of regressions, we examined the association among five blocks of predictors and six dependent QoL variables, four domain scores, and two global scores. Both WHOQoL-BREF global and domain scores after the prolonged stress were significantly predicted by anxiety, depression, stress symptoms, and sociodemographic characteristics. COVID-19-related stressors predicted significantly physical and psychological health, social relationships, and environmental QoL, whereas earthquake-related stressors predicted health satisfaction, physical and psychological health, and environmental QoL.