Mental health and family contextual factors in Australian women: associations and predictors of health risk behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic

OBJECTIVE- Growing research has indicated Australian women’s health behaviour and well-being has worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study evaluated health risk behaviour, mental health, and family contextual factor associations in Australian women during June and July 2020 of the COVID-19 pandemic. DESIGN-Cross-sectional survey data collected online from 326 Australian female adults. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES- Health risk behaviours (poor diet, physical inactivity, and hazardous alcohol use), psychological distress, subjective well-being, and family contextual factors were explored to identify candidate predictors for hierarchical regression analysis of health risk behaviours. RESULTS-Hazardous alcohol use, psychological distress, and subjective well-being were worse compared to pre-COVID-19 pandemic norms. Low well-being, physical inactivity, and not living with a partner contributed to poor diet. Low well-being contributed to physical inactivity. Caffeine and anxiety contributed to hazardous alcohol use. Self-reported negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to poor diet and hazardous alcohol use, but not physical inactivity. Parenting preschool-aged children contributed to less alcohol use. 83.4% and 92.4% respectively did not meet dietary and physical activity guidelines. CONCLUSION-Australian women have worse well-being, greater distress, and worse alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic. Interventions should aim to reduce psychological distress and improve social connection structures.