[Impact of COVID-19 lockdown on self-perceived health in Chile by gender]

To analyse the social factors associated with self-perceived health during the COVID-19 lockdown in the Chilean resident population according to gender perspective.

Cross-sectional study conducted during the COVID-19 lockdown between May 17 and August 17, 2020 with an online survey. Self-perceived health was analysed in the population aged 18 years or older in relation to social variables. Multivariate logistic regression models were constructed to assess the association between independent variables with self-perceived health, through adjusted odds ratio (aOR). Analyses were stratified by sex (M: men; W: women).

5981 persons were analysed (women: 63.9%). 29.6% of women and 19.2% of men reported poor self-perceived health. In women it worsens with increasing age. Worse self-perceived health was mainly associated with lack of social support (ORa M: 2.05; ORa W: 2.34), concern about living together at home (ORa M: 1.66; ORa W: 1.38), perceived inadequate housing conditions (ORa M: 1.89; ORa W: 2.63), and disagreement with government measures (ORa M: 2.80; ORa W: 1.82). In women, it was also associated with informal work or being inactive in the labour market (ORa: 2.11). In men worse self-perceived health was associated with being self-employed (ORa: 1.65; confidence interval [CI]: 1.11-2.45) and has secondary education (ORa: 2.81; CI: 1.32-5.98).

The social impact of lockdown in self-perceived health is related to gender, age, care work, and socioeconomic conditions, as well as, by disagreement with the measures implemented to manage the pandemic.