The COVID-19 pandemic has caused much of the populace to self-isolate.
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Loneliness is significantly higher than normal during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Loneliness was associated with increased depression and suicidal ideation.
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Public health efforts must address increased loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Abstract
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, most communities in the United States imposed stay-at-home orders to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus, potentially leading to chronic social isolation. During the third week of shelter-in-place guidelines, 1,013 U.S. adults completed the UCLA Loneliness Scale-3 and Public Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Loneliness was elevated, with 43% of respondents scoring above published cutoffs, and was strongly associated with greater depression and suicidal ideation. Loneliness is a critical public health concern that must be considered during the social isolation efforts to combat the pandemic.