ROCHESTER, Minn. — Social distancing guidelines have reduced the spread of COVID-19, but lockdowns and quarantines are also creating or exacerbating other health concerns, a new study says. is reporting. Mayo Clinic researchers found that feelings of loneliness increased significantly and feelings of friendship decreased during the pandemic. The study, published February 20 in the journal Social Science & Medicine, also showed that women and people in poor health were disproportionately affected.
Researchers say that while physical distancing is important during the pandemic, distance within and between relationships can be unduly harmful to a person’s mental health and well-being. Decisions to close businesses and schools and cancel social gatherings and events are effective in slowing the spread of the disease, but they also create unintended social, psychological, economic, and substance abuse problems. may cause.
“Forging meaningful social connections with others requires a conscious effort,” says John Ebert, MD, a Mayo Clinic internist and lead author of the study. “In times of social tension and stress, it is important to not only help each other, but also to be present.”
To measure changes during the pandemic, researchers looked at findings from 1,996 patients who completed a survey in February 2018 and from May 2020, when much of the U.S. was under stay-at-home orders. The results of a survey of 1,996 patients who responded to the questionnaire during the period were compared. The questions were divided into six support areas. : emotional, logistical (helping with daily tasks), friendship, loneliness, rejection, hostility.
During the pandemic, women reported higher levels of loneliness compared to men. Researchers hypothesize that one factor may be that women’s employment was significantly more likely to be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, based on U.S. unemployment data.
“The workplace is often a place for social networking and support. Moreover, as work moves from the workplace to the home environment, this may have further strained women’s social ties,” said the first author. says Dr. Lindsay Philpott. She is a service researcher and epidemiologist at the Mayo Clinic School of Medicine.
The biggest change was a decrease in friendships, followed by an increase in feelings of loneliness.
“Personal connections come in many forms, and it may be observed that during an infectious disease pandemic, women may suffer a greater burden of loneliness,” Dr. Evert says. “We all need to remember to focus on friendships to help us stay resilient amidst major changes in our social structure.”
But it wasn’t all bad news, as the researchers found that emotional and logistical support increased and perceptions of hostility decreased. However, those with pre-existing health conditions said they had less emotional support. The researchers observed no change in perception of rejection.
“People with more health problems may experience a greater negative impact on psychological support at a time when it is most needed during major societal changes,” Dr. Evert said. says.
The researchers said their findings are supported by the stress-buffering hypothesis, which concludes that social relationships can act as a buffer during stressful times.
“Before physical distancing orders, we were less likely to engage in passive social interactions, such as interacting with other parents at basketball practice or PTA meetings, or chatting with co-workers between meetings. “We have benefited from this,” says Dr. Philpott. “Physical distancing requires us to be more intentional about reaching out, connecting, and spending (virtual) time with others. So whether it’s scheduling a virtual coffee date with a friend or Consider joining or hosting an online trivia night or picking up the phone and calling your family and friends. ”
People in lifelong relationships made up 77% of survey respondents. Of the respondents, 63% were female, 78% said they were healthy or very healthy, and the average age was 60 years.
The study’s co-authors, all from the Mayo Clinic, are Priya Ramar; Daniel Rollinger; Dr. Barbara Barry.Pravesh Sharma, MD
This research was supported by the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine and Mayo Clinic’s Robert D. and Patricia E. Kahn Center for Health Care Delivery Sciences.
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