The burden of loneliness: Implications of the social determinants of health during COVID-19

PSYCHIATRY RESEARCH

卷:296

Article

McQuaid, Robyn J.^1,2,3  Cox, Sylvia M. L.⁴  Ogunlana, Ayotola¹  Jaworska, Natalia^1,2,3,5 

[1] Univ Ottawa, Inst Mental Hlth Res, Ottawa, ON, Canada

[2] Carleton Univ, Dept Neurosci, Ottawa, ON, Canada

[3] Univ Ottawa, Sch Psychol, Ottawa, ON, Canada

[4] McGill Univ, Dept Psychiat, Montreal, PQ, Canada

[5] Univ Ottawa, Dept Cellular Mol Med, Ottawa, ON, Canada

关键词: Anxiety;    Depression;    Gender;    Income;    Young adults;    Living arrangements;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113648

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

This study sought to examine if mental health issues, namely depression and anxiety symptoms, and loneliness were experienced differently according to various demographic groups during the COVID-19 pandemic (i.e., a societal stressor). An online survey, comprising demographic questions and questionnaires on depression, anxiety and loneliness symptoms, was distributed in Canada during the height of social distancing restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Respondents (N=661) from lower income households experienced greater anxiety, depression and loneliness. Specifically, loneliness was greater in those with an annual income $50,000/yr versus higher income brackets. Younger females (18-29yr) displayed greater anxiety, depressive symptoms and loneliness than their male counterparts; this difference did not exist among the other age groups (30-64yr, 65yr). Moreover, loneliness scores increased with increasing depression and anxiety symptom severity category. The relationship between loneliness and depression symptoms was moderated by gender, such that females experienced higher depressive symptoms when encountering greater loneliness. These data identify younger females, individuals with lower income, and those living alone as experiencing greater loneliness and mental health challenges during the height of the pandemic in Canada. We highlight the strong relationship between loneliness, depression and anxiety, and emphasize increased vulnerability among certain cohorts.

【 授权许可】

Free