Impact of Community Factors on Mental and Physical Health During Successive Waves of COVID‐19 Pandemic in China

ABSTRACT This study examined how community factors impacted well‐being during the COVID‐19 pandemic in China. Data were collected at two time points: Time 1 (T1) in September 2021 ( N = 992) when COVID‐19 cases stabilized, and Time 2 (T2) in January 2023 ( N = 497) during a sudden outbreak of new infected cases. At T1, perceived community safety and sense of community directly affected depression, anxiety, and physical health symptoms, with sense of community partially mediating these effects. At T2, community factors at T1 continued to impact depression, anxiety, and physical health symptoms. Sense of community at T1 partially mediated the link between community safety at T1 and mental health at T2. Higher income and older age were associated with a stronger sense of community, better perceived community safety, and improved health. Policymakers should consider the impact of community factors on well‐being during health crises.