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Survey Reveals Positive Long-term Effects Of COVID-19 Pandemic

September 29, 2020 / 3:40 PM EDT / CBS Detroit

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(CBS DETROIT) - Americans are responding to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic by making positive lifestyle changes that they expect to continue long term, according to a national survey by Parade/Cleveland Clinic. The third annual Healthy Now poll shows that 18- to 34-year-olds were the most likely demographic to adopt new healthy behaviors in many categories. However, the survey also revealed significant mental health challenges, particularly stress, anxiety and depression issues, brought on by the pandemic among survey respondents. The full survey findings are featured online at Parade.com/normal.

Key findings from the summer 2020 survey:

SURPRISING POSITIVES AMID CHALLENGES

Forging family connections: 78% agree that quarantine has made them value their relationships, with 34% saying they feel closer to their families
Taking stock: 65% say the pandemic has made them reevaluate how they spend their time and 58% say the pandemic has made them reevaluate their life goals
Finding meaning: 56% say their experiences during the pandemic have strengthened their spiritual beliefs
Connecting in the kitchen: 65% report that they're cooking more at home, with 85% saying they'll continue.

"Almost 60% of respondents say their lives have been changed for good," says Lisa Delaney, SVP/chief content officer of Parade Media. "While people are clearly struggling with the effects of the pandemic, our results show that they're also discovering new ways of living—of connecting with each other, of managing stress, of finding joy wherever they can—that they want to carry with them into the future."

EMBRACING PREVENTIVE HEALTH MEASURES

62% of all people have adopted some type of healthy lifestyle change since the onset of the pandemic. That percentage jumps to 78% among 18- to 34-year-olds
34% report eating more healthy foods, with 87% of those expecting to continue this habit in the long term
68% of people are paying more attention to risk factors for health concerns including chronic diseases, mental health issues and lung health; 77% of 18- to 34-year-olds reported doing so
One-in-four of all Americans (26%) say they are more likely to get a flu vaccine this year compared to 2019. Among 18- to 34-year-olds, the percentage was higher at 35%

"In a time when we need to be able to focus in on keeping ourselves as healthy as we can, we must not skip preventive visits to our healthcare providers. When we miss early signs of disease, we allow it to grow into a serious or even life-threatening illnesses," said Kristin Englund, M.D., an infectious disease physician at Cleveland Clinic. "Our clinics and hospitals are taking every precaution available to assure patients are safe from COVID-19 within our walls. We cannot let fear of one disease keep us from doing what we need to do to stay healthy."

FEAR, CONFUSION TAKING WIDESPREAD TOLL ON MENTAL HEALTH

55% of all adults and 74% of 18- to 34-year-olds report experiencing mental health issues since the onset of the pandemic, including stress, anxiety, depression, and loneliness/isolation
41% of all people and 52% of 18- to 34-year-olds reported being so overwhelmed by information on the pandemic that they've stopped paying attention
Another surge of COVID-19 (59%) and another pandemic/quarantine (44%) are the biggest concerns among total respondents, followed by fears about personal financial situation (34%)

ON HOLD TILL 2021

78% say they will not spend holidays as they normally do with only 9% anticipating attending holiday church services, and 12% anticipating attending parades or New Year's Eve firework celebrations
Americans are also putting common personal interactions on hold: 78% say they will not shake hands with people through the end of the year while only 13% say they will hug a non-family member

"Despite the very real health risks of this virus and the almost complete disruption to Americans' day-to-day lives, 72% of those surveyed say they remain hopeful for the future," Delaney says. "These results show how we are discovering our resiliency and finding healthy ways to cope in extreme circumstances."

Find full Parade/Cleveland Clinic Healthy Now survey results and related content at Parade.com/normal. Video coverage of the results also can be found here.

About the Parade/Cleveland Clinic Healthy Now Survey
A joint online survey by Parade Media and Cleveland Clinic of 1,000 Americans,18 to 65 years of age, living in the continental United States, completed in June 2020. The credibility interval for the total sample is +/- 2.5 percentage points.

About Parade Media
Parade Media develops and distributes premium content across digital, mobile, video, and print platforms. Its brands include Parade, Relish & Spry Living. Based in Nashville, Tenn., and New York, the company also creates custom content for newspapers, major brand clients and retailers.

About Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, it was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. U.S. News & World Report consistently names Cleveland Clinic as one of the nation's best hospitals in its annual "America's Best Hospitals" survey. Among Cleveland Clinic's 67,554 employees worldwide are more than 4,520 salaried physicians and researchers, and 17,000 registered nurses and advanced practice providers, representing 140 medical specialties and subspecialties. Cleveland Clinic is a 6,026-bed health system that includes a 165-acre main campus near downtown Cleveland, 18 hospitals, more than 220 outpatient facilities, and locations in southeast Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; Toronto, Canada; Abu Dhabi, UAE; and London, England. In 2019, there were 9.8 million total outpatient visits, 309,000 hospital admissions and observations, and 255,000 surgical cases throughout Cleveland Clinic's health system. Patients came for treatment from every state and 185 countries. Visit us at clevelandclinic.org.

SOURCE Parade Media

Coronavirus