Control over one's life during the Covid epidemic : a case study of multi-apartment buildings in Ljubljana

Mandič, Srna (author), Hlebec, Valentina (author)

We examined the changing sense of control over one's life during epidemics. Using original survey data during the first lockdown in May 2020 our case study focuses on Ljubljana's multi-apartment buildings (MAB) which, due to the physical proximity of the residents and the common spaces/facilities represent a distinct case with its particular threats (infection spread) and potential resources (neighbourly support) for coping with epidemic-related problems. We found a dramatic drop in perceived control over one's life, from 75% of respondents in usual times to 35% during the pandemic. Accounting for a range of epidemic-associated occurrences in the building and among the residents our regression analysis shows their significant impact on residents' sense of control that highly exceeding those of the quality of life and of basic socio-demographic characteristics. While our case study demonstrates that the specific setting of an MAB can provide a valuable layer of human action in times of crisis, further research is needed to permit generalisations.

• Language: English
• Keywords: pandemic, perceived control over one’s life, ontological security, multi-apartment buildings, wellbeing, control over one’s life
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FDV - Faculty of Social Sciences
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 01.09.2021
• Year: 2021
• Number of pages: Str. 555-575, 690
• Numbering: Letn. 58, posebna št.
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-138716
• UDC: 316.62:616-036.22(497.451.1)
• ISSN on article: 0040-3598
• DOI: 10.51936/tip.58.specialissue.555-575
• COBISS.SI-ID: 81110019
• Publication date in RUL: 10.08.2022

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Teorija in praksa : revija za družbena vprašanja
• Shortened title: Teor. praksa
• Publisher: Fakulteta za družbene vede
• ISSN: 0040-3598
• COBISS.SI-ID: 763652

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Nadzor nad lastnim življenjem med epidemijo covida-19

Abstract

Obravnavamo, kako se občutek ljudi, da imajo nadzor nad svojim življenjem, med epidemijo spreminja . Z uporabo izvirnih anketnih podatkov iz obdobja prvega zaprtja (maj 2020) v Ljubljani se naša študija primera osredini na večstanovanjske stavbe, ki zaradi bližine med stanovalci in njihove uporabe skupnih prostorov in naprav v stavbi predstavljajo poseben primer tako zaradi svojih specifičnih tveganj (širjenje okužbe) kot tudi potencialnih virov (medsosedska pomoč) pri reševanju težav, povezanih z epidemijo. Ugotovili smo, da se je občutek, da imajo nadzor nad svojim življenjem zmanjšal s 75 % stanovalcev v običajnem času na 35 % med epidemijo. Regresijska analiza je nadalje pokazala, da na občutek nadzora nad življenjem vpliva tudi vrsta z epidemijo povezanega dogajanja v stavbi in med sosedi ter da ti dejavniki vplivajo bolj kot kakovost življenja in osnovne socio-demografske značilnosti stanovalcev. Medtem ko naša študija primera jasno kaže, da lahko okolje večstanovanjske stavbe predstavlja pomembno raven družbenega delovanja v obdobju krize, pa so pred nadaljnjim posploševanjem potrebne še dodatne študije.

• Keywords: pandemija, domnevni nadzor nad lastnim življenjem, ontološka varnost, večstanovanjske stavbe, dobro počutje, nadzor nad svojim življenjem

Projects

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: P5-0200-2017
• Name: Kakovost življenja družbenih skupin