O’Sullivan, Roger and Burns, Annette and Leavey, Gerard and Leroi, Iracema and Burholt, Vanessa and Lubben, James and Holt-Lunstad, Julianne and Victor, Christina and Lawlor, Brian and Vilar-Compte, Mireya and Perissinotto, Carla M. and Tully, Mark A. and Sullivan, Mary Pat and Rosato, Michael and Power, Joanna McHugh and Tiilikainen, Elisa and Prohaska, Thomas R. (2021) Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Loneliness and Social Isolation: A Multi-Country Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18 (19). p. 9982. ISSN 1660-4601

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Abstract

The COVID-19 global pandemic and subsequent public health social measures have challenged our social and economic life, with increasing concerns around potentially rising levels of social isolation and loneliness. This paper is based on cross-sectional online survey data (available in 10 languages, from 2 June to 16 November 2020) with 20,398 respondents from 101 different countries. It aims to help increase our understanding of the global risk factors that are associated with social isolation and loneliness, irrespective of culture or country, to support evidence-based policy, services and public health interventions. We found the prevalence of severe loneliness was 21% during COVID-19 with 6% retrospectively reporting severe loneliness prior to the pandemic. A fifth were defined as isolated based on their usual connections, with 13% reporting a substantial increase in isolation during COVID-19. Personal finances and mental health were overarching and consistently cross-cutting predictors of loneliness and social isolation, both before and during the pandemic. With the likelihood of future waves of COVID-19 and related restrictions, it must be a public health priority to address the root causes of loneliness and social isolation and, in particular, address the needs of specific groups such as carers or those living alone.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	loneliness; social isolation; public health; COVID-19; risk factors;
Academic Unit:	Faculty of Science and Engineering > Psychology
Item ID:	18275
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18199982
Depositing User:	Joanna McHugh Power
Date Deposited:	14 Mar 2024 14:17
Journal or Publication Title:	International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Publisher:	PubMed Central
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	Publisher
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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