論文の公開元へEditorial: The impact of social isolation and loneliness on mental health and wellbeing
概要
Loneliness and social isolation are critical for health and wellbeing. Social isolation is a well-established social determinant of health, and its ill effects have been wellrecognized for decades. Over the last 20 years, researchers have increasingly advocated that our health and wellbeing are not only detrimentally affected by being alone but also by feeling lonely (i.e., subjective social isolation) (1). Loneliness was flagged as a critical issue after the onset of the current public health crisis and was recently found to be a prevalent issue across the world (2). Although loneliness is studied as a phenomenon across different nations and cultures, and within different social groups, the exact meaning of loneliness, its antecedents, and its consequences on mental health and wellbeing may vary (3).
The way in which loneliness and social isolation contribute to mental health and wellbeing may be different during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was particularly evident after public health measures such as social restrictions, including national or localized lockdowns, were implemented. Furthermore, quarantine or self-isolation was also recommended for reducing infection (4). It is plausible that many people may have experienced the distress associated with social isolation or loneliness, or both, for the very first time during periods of lockdown, quarantine, and self-isolation. The impacts of quarantine or self-isolation may vary by population. In some populations, self-isolation due to COVID-19 had little influence on daytime sleepiness, insomnia, or depression compared with 1 year earlier (5).
この論文で使われている画像
