Socioeconomic Impacts of the COVID-19 Lockdown on the Mental Health and Life Satisfaction of the Japanese Population

COVID-19 has been a global challenge ever since its emergence, with reports suggesting negative effects on the mental health and well-being of people. We investigated the associations of the socioeconomic changes driven by the pandemic, illness, well-being, and fear of COVID-19 in Japan. Totally, 565 Japanese individuals completed an online survey, including questions on their self-restraint and changing incomes, and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale; Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale; and present, past, and future life satisfaction scale. Analysis using structural equation models revealed that refraining from going out was a predictor of illness due to the fear of COVID-19. Decreased income predicted increased illness, but was not due to fear of COVID-19. These results suggested that the interaction between decreased time outside and increased fear of COVID-19 could affect illness. Our study suggests the role of fear of COVID-19 during pandemic and the socioeconomic impacts on mental health.