‘I’ve never been so stressed in my life’: a qualitative analysis of young adults’ lived experience amidst pandemic restrictions in Prince Edward Island, Canada

Objectives This qualitative study aimed to explore how young adults experienced the COVID-19 pandemic in relation to extensive lockdowns, social isolation and psychosocial distress. Specifically, this research focused on how the pandemic impacted those who did not contract COVID-19 and lived in a low-risk geographical location. The focus was young adults given they have large social circles (high risk for disease transmission) and have an increased propensity to mental health conditions. These insights can inform planning for future pandemics.Design This paper draws on 30 in-depth semistructured interviews. Data were analysed inductively following the principles of a constructivist grounded theory approach.Setting and participants 30 young adults living in Prince Edward Island during the COVID-19 pandemic, a Canadian province with a low number of COVID-19 cases at the time of data collection.Results We developed four themes that describe the experience of young adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: (1) life course disruption, (2) fear and anxiety about the COVID-19 virus, (3) isolation and loss of hope and (4) strategies for managing adversity. Our findings highlight the areas of young adults’ lives that were affected by extensive social changes related to the COVID-19 pandemic. We demonstrate that even individuals who had not contracted the virus were considerably impacted.Conclusion We provide a detailed description of the comprehensive impact of COVID-19 on low-risk young adults not previously infected with the COVID-19 virus. By reflecting on the biographical disruption experienced by young adults, we highlight the need and opportunity to direct healthcare resources towards identifying and addressing the secondary impacts of pandemics. Consequently, these findings can guide decisions relating to future pandemic restrictions to better account for the experiences of individuals living through them

The common themes identified across participants and whether they were motivators or deterrents for adherence with COVID-19 public health measures.

The common themes identified across participants and whether they were motivators or deterrents for adherence with COVID-19 public health measures.</p

Description of public health measures in Prince Edward Island.

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Demographic information of the 30 young adults participating in the individual interviews.

Demographic information of the 30 young adults participating in the individual interviews.</p

Codebook.

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Pre-interview questionnaire and semi-structured interview guide.

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Excess Mortality in Ontario During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Based on Ontario cremation data, there has been a 12.8% increase in the number of deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to the expected numbers of deaths informed by previous years’ cremation data. The causes of these excess deaths include infection with SARS-CoV-2, as well as causes likely related to the pandemic but not due to COVID-19 itself.</jats:p