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. 2021 Feb:296:113648.
doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113648. Epub 2020 Dec 15.

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

Robyn J McQuaid  1 , Sylvia M L Cox  2 , Ayotola Ogunlana  3 , Natalia Jaworska  4
Affiliations

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

Robyn J McQuaid et al. Psychiatry Res. 2021 Feb.

Abstract

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.

Keywords: Anxiety; Depression; Gender; Income; Living arrangements; Young adults.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig. 1
ULS-8 loneliness scores according to PHQ-9 depression and GAD-7 anxiety categories (mean ± standard error presented), ***p<.001.
Fig 2
Fig. 2
ULS-8 loneliness scores according to income categories (mean ± standard error presented), *p<05, **p<.01.
Fig 3
Fig. 3
ULS-8 loneliness scores according to gender and age categories (mean ± standard error reported), ***p< .001.
Fig 4
Fig. 4
The moderating role of gender in the relationship between ULS-8-indexed loneliness and PHQ-9-indexed depression scores.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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