Exploring the association of respiratory infection aetiology with mental well-being scores: a longitudinal study

Abigail Murfitt; Alike W van der Velden; Femke Böhmer; Christopher C Butler; Slawomir Chlabicz; Annelies Colliers; Ana Garcia-Sangenis; Lile Malania; Jozsef Pauer; Angela Tomacinschii; Akke Vellinga

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1833497

Exploring the association of respiratory infection aetiology with mental well-being scores: a longitudinal study

Abigail Murfitt^*
, Alike W van der Velden
, Femke Böhmer
, Christopher C Butler
, Slawomir Chlabicz
, Annelies Colliers
, Ana Garcia-Sangenis
, Lile Malania
, Jozsef Pauer
, Angela Tomacinschii
, Akke Vellinga

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Acute respiratory infections can disrupt both physical and psychological well-being. This study aimed to examine whether mental well-being differed according to respiratory infection aetiology during the first year of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and to identify factors associated with mental well-being over time.

METHODS: This prospective observational cohort study included 819 adults from nine European countries recruited during 2020 and 2021 as part of the SOS-COVID study. Mental well-being was assessed using the WHO-5 Well-Being Index at day 7 and day 28 following enrolment. Respiratory infection aetiology was classified as SARS-CoV-2, other viral infection, or no virus detected, and additionally grouped as SARS-CoV-2 versus no SARS-CoV-2 detected. Linear mixed-effects models with patients nested within countries examined associations between infection type and well-being scores, adjusting for age, recovery duration and time period.

RESULTS: Median WHO-5 well-being scores increased from 13 at day 7 to 18 at day 28. Participants with SARS-CoV-2 infection reported lower median well-being scores (12 and 17 at day 7 and day 28, respectively) compared with other viral infections (15 and 19), non-SARS-CoV-2 infections (13 and 18), and no virus detected (13 and 17). In adjusted analyses, lower day 28 well-being was associated with longer recovery duration (coef = -0.1, 95% CI: -0.2 to -0.1), SARS-CoV-2 infection (coef = -1.1, 95% CI: -1.8 to -0.3), recruitment during July to September and October to December 2020, and increasing age. Approximately 32% of variance in well-being occurred at the country level.

CONCLUSION: SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with lower mental well-being scores, particularly 1 month following enrolment, compared with other respiratory infection groups. Recovery duration and recruitment period also influenced well-being outcomes, suggesting that both infection-specific and contextual pandemic-related factors contributed to reduced mental well-being.

Original language	English
Article number	1833497
Pages (from-to)	1-6
Number of pages	6
Journal	Frontiers in Psychology
Volume	17
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1833497
Publication status	Published - 10 Aug 2026

Keywords

infection types
mental well-being
post infection well-being
SARS-CoV-2
well-being

Access to Document

10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1833497Licence: CC BY

fpsyg-17-1833497Final published version, 302 KBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

Murfitt, A., van der Velden, A. W., Böhmer, F., Butler, C. C., Chlabicz, S., Colliers, A., Garcia-Sangenis, A., Malania, L., Pauer, J., Tomacinschii, A., & Vellinga, A. (2026). Exploring the association of respiratory infection aetiology with mental well-being scores: a longitudinal study. Frontiers in Psychology, 17, 1-6. Article 1833497. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1833497

@article{7f35708ce07c4c74863923b3a377c392,

title = "Exploring the association of respiratory infection aetiology with mental well-being scores: a longitudinal study",

abstract = "BACKGROUND: Acute respiratory infections can disrupt both physical and psychological well-being. This study aimed to examine whether mental well-being differed according to respiratory infection aetiology during the first year of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and to identify factors associated with mental well-being over time.METHODS: This prospective observational cohort study included 819 adults from nine European countries recruited during 2020 and 2021 as part of the SOS-COVID study. Mental well-being was assessed using the WHO-5 Well-Being Index at day 7 and day 28 following enrolment. Respiratory infection aetiology was classified as SARS-CoV-2, other viral infection, or no virus detected, and additionally grouped as SARS-CoV-2 versus no SARS-CoV-2 detected. Linear mixed-effects models with patients nested within countries examined associations between infection type and well-being scores, adjusting for age, recovery duration and time period.RESULTS: Median WHO-5 well-being scores increased from 13 at day 7 to 18 at day 28. Participants with SARS-CoV-2 infection reported lower median well-being scores (12 and 17 at day 7 and day 28, respectively) compared with other viral infections (15 and 19), non-SARS-CoV-2 infections (13 and 18), and no virus detected (13 and 17). In adjusted analyses, lower day 28 well-being was associated with longer recovery duration (coef = -0.1, 95\% CI: -0.2 to -0.1), SARS-CoV-2 infection (coef = -1.1, 95\% CI: -1.8 to -0.3), recruitment during July to September and October to December 2020, and increasing age. Approximately 32\% of variance in well-being occurred at the country level.CONCLUSION: SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with lower mental well-being scores, particularly 1 month following enrolment, compared with other respiratory infection groups. Recovery duration and recruitment period also influenced well-being outcomes, suggesting that both infection-specific and contextual pandemic-related factors contributed to reduced mental well-being.",

keywords = "infection types, mental well-being, post infection well-being, SARS-CoV-2, well-being",

author = "Abigail Murfitt and \{van der Velden\}, \{Alike W\} and Femke B{\"o}hmer and Butler, \{Christopher C\} and Slawomir Chlabicz and Annelies Colliers and Ana Garcia-Sangenis and Lile Malania and Jozsef Pauer and Angela Tomacinschii and Akke Vellinga",

note = "Copyright {\textcopyright} 2026 Murfitt, van der Velden, B{\"o}hmer, Butler, Chlabicz, Colliers, Garcia-Sangenis, Malania, Pauer, Tomacinschii and Vellinga.",

year = "2026",

month = aug,

day = "10",

doi = "10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1833497",

language = "English",

volume = "17",

pages = "1--6",

journal = "Frontiers in Psychology",

issn = "1664-1078",

publisher = "Frontiers Media S. A.",

}

Murfitt, A, van der Velden, AW, Böhmer, F, Butler, CC, Chlabicz, S, Colliers, A, Garcia-Sangenis, A, Malania, L, Pauer, J, Tomacinschii, A & Vellinga, A 2026, 'Exploring the association of respiratory infection aetiology with mental well-being scores: a longitudinal study', Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 17, 1833497, pp. 1-6. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1833497

TY - JOUR

T1 - Exploring the association of respiratory infection aetiology with mental well-being scores

T2 - a longitudinal study

AU - Murfitt, Abigail

AU - van der Velden, Alike W

AU - Böhmer, Femke

AU - Butler, Christopher C

AU - Chlabicz, Slawomir

AU - Colliers, Annelies

AU - Garcia-Sangenis, Ana

AU - Malania, Lile

AU - Pauer, Jozsef

AU - Tomacinschii, Angela

AU - Vellinga, Akke

PY - 2026/8/10

Y1 - 2026/8/10

N2 - BACKGROUND: Acute respiratory infections can disrupt both physical and psychological well-being. This study aimed to examine whether mental well-being differed according to respiratory infection aetiology during the first year of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and to identify factors associated with mental well-being over time.METHODS: This prospective observational cohort study included 819 adults from nine European countries recruited during 2020 and 2021 as part of the SOS-COVID study. Mental well-being was assessed using the WHO-5 Well-Being Index at day 7 and day 28 following enrolment. Respiratory infection aetiology was classified as SARS-CoV-2, other viral infection, or no virus detected, and additionally grouped as SARS-CoV-2 versus no SARS-CoV-2 detected. Linear mixed-effects models with patients nested within countries examined associations between infection type and well-being scores, adjusting for age, recovery duration and time period.RESULTS: Median WHO-5 well-being scores increased from 13 at day 7 to 18 at day 28. Participants with SARS-CoV-2 infection reported lower median well-being scores (12 and 17 at day 7 and day 28, respectively) compared with other viral infections (15 and 19), non-SARS-CoV-2 infections (13 and 18), and no virus detected (13 and 17). In adjusted analyses, lower day 28 well-being was associated with longer recovery duration (coef = -0.1, 95% CI: -0.2 to -0.1), SARS-CoV-2 infection (coef = -1.1, 95% CI: -1.8 to -0.3), recruitment during July to September and October to December 2020, and increasing age. Approximately 32% of variance in well-being occurred at the country level.CONCLUSION: SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with lower mental well-being scores, particularly 1 month following enrolment, compared with other respiratory infection groups. Recovery duration and recruitment period also influenced well-being outcomes, suggesting that both infection-specific and contextual pandemic-related factors contributed to reduced mental well-being.

AB - BACKGROUND: Acute respiratory infections can disrupt both physical and psychological well-being. This study aimed to examine whether mental well-being differed according to respiratory infection aetiology during the first year of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and to identify factors associated with mental well-being over time.METHODS: This prospective observational cohort study included 819 adults from nine European countries recruited during 2020 and 2021 as part of the SOS-COVID study. Mental well-being was assessed using the WHO-5 Well-Being Index at day 7 and day 28 following enrolment. Respiratory infection aetiology was classified as SARS-CoV-2, other viral infection, or no virus detected, and additionally grouped as SARS-CoV-2 versus no SARS-CoV-2 detected. Linear mixed-effects models with patients nested within countries examined associations between infection type and well-being scores, adjusting for age, recovery duration and time period.RESULTS: Median WHO-5 well-being scores increased from 13 at day 7 to 18 at day 28. Participants with SARS-CoV-2 infection reported lower median well-being scores (12 and 17 at day 7 and day 28, respectively) compared with other viral infections (15 and 19), non-SARS-CoV-2 infections (13 and 18), and no virus detected (13 and 17). In adjusted analyses, lower day 28 well-being was associated with longer recovery duration (coef = -0.1, 95% CI: -0.2 to -0.1), SARS-CoV-2 infection (coef = -1.1, 95% CI: -1.8 to -0.3), recruitment during July to September and October to December 2020, and increasing age. Approximately 32% of variance in well-being occurred at the country level.CONCLUSION: SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with lower mental well-being scores, particularly 1 month following enrolment, compared with other respiratory infection groups. Recovery duration and recruitment period also influenced well-being outcomes, suggesting that both infection-specific and contextual pandemic-related factors contributed to reduced mental well-being.

KW - infection types

KW - mental well-being

KW - post infection well-being

KW - SARS-CoV-2

KW - well-being

U2 - 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1833497

DO - 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1833497

M3 - Article

C2 - 42638711

SN - 1664-1078

VL - 17

SP - 1

EP - 6

JO - Frontiers in Psychology

JF - Frontiers in Psychology

M1 - 1833497

ER -

Exploring the association of respiratory infection aetiology with mental well-being scores: a longitudinal study

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this