Impact of COVID-19 and Social Distancing Measures on Married Women: A Qualitative Enquiry

Abstract

Considering the World Health Organization’s declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic, governments worldwide implemented lockdowns and social distancing measures to contain the spread. Despite these critical measures, the pandemic exacerbated gender inequality, particularly impacting women. With schools and workplaces closed and heightened concerns for family members’ health, women shouldered increased family responsibilities, leading to numerous physical and psychological health challenges. Married women, in particular, faced amplified burdens. This study aims to delve into the experiences of married women during the pandemic. Twenty married women within the age range of 22–45 years residing in the northern part of India were telephonically interviewed about their experiences during the COVID-19-induced lockdown. The interviews recordings were transcribed manually and analysed using thematic content analysis. The emerging themes -emotional and psychological impact, social impact, workload impact, and coping mechanisms -shed light on both the positive and negative outcomes of the pandemic. The results revealed that both working and non-working married women encountered emotional, psychological, and social challenges such as anxiety, social isolation, increased intimacy, and work–family conflict due to heightened domestic responsibilities resulting from the confinement of each family member at home. However, women reported that habituation and forced adjustments became their primary coping mechanisms. © 2025 selection and editorial matter, Shalini Mittal, Tushar Singh, Harleen Kaur, Rahul Varma, Sreeja Das, Yogesh Kumar Arya, Sunil K. Verma, Shivantika Sharad, Divya Bhanot, Udisha Merwal, Aishwarya Jaiswal, Benkat Krishna Bharti, and Bhawna Tushir.