Article

Loneliness during lockdown: An epidemic within the covid-19 pandemic

Juan Manuel García-González and Inmaculada Montero, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, UPO; Rafael Grande, Universidad de Málaga; Dolores Puga, CSIC
Project selected in the Call to support research projects on the social impact of covid-19

In Spain, the lockdown induced by the covid-19 pandemic confined the population to their homes from 14 March to 21 June 2020. This lockdown brought with it a number of different impacts for citizens: among other aspects, there was an increase in loneliness, a public health problem that to a large affects the older population. Knowing how lockdown affects loneliness is fundamental for taking preventive measures. It also helps in designing interventions for reducing the adverse consequences of loneliness for people’s health and their family and social relationships. The research on which this article is based analysed changes in the feeling of loneliness in the population between February and April 2020. To this end, a survey was conducted on a group of 750 people aged over 55 living in Andalusia. This survey was conducted in two stages, coinciding with the months mentioned. The main conclusion drawn from the study is that 56% of the population surveyed reported that they felt lonely during lockdown, which represents an increase over the data obtained before lockdown.
Key points
  • 1
       The feeling of loneliness in the population over 55 in Andalusia rose from 47% to 56% during the lockdown imposed due to the covid-19 pandemic.
  • 2
       Moderate loneliness was exacerbated by lockdown, whereas severe loneliness diminished among the population.
  • 3
       The feeling of loneliness among Andalusian women aged over 55 reached 62% with the lockdown measures taken; in men, the incidence of this feeling was 50%.
  • 4
       Loneliness increased mainly among people under the age of 80. In the population over this age, with high levels of loneliness before lockdown, this situation did not lead to an increase in the feeling of loneliness.
  • 5
       A higher level of education is, in general, a protective factor against loneliness. However, during lockdown, the exacerbation of the feeling of loneliness among the Andalusian population was similar for all educational levels.
  • 6
       Individuals with poorer health status, limitations in their habitual activities and depression already displayed higher levels of loneliness before the pandemic, and this feeling remained the same during lockdown. In the rest of the groups loneliness increased, in comparison with their previous situation.
  • 7
       Emotional loneliness – meaning a lack of trusting relationships – increased notably during lockdown, whereas social loneliness – meaning a lack of relations with one’s social group – decreased considerably.
04_OS_0521_Grafico_1_ENG+NEW.png

Classification

Tags

Subject areas

Related content

Article

Detection of workplace bullying and its negative impact on psychological well-being

11.2% of the population present a high probability of suffering a situation of harassment in their workplace and may develop generalised anxiety disorder. How can possible cases of psychological harassment be detected?

Article

Can home care for older people be improved?

Home care for elderly people should reconcile healthcare and care linked to social services. This study provides data on the application of a tool to coordinate and optimise these two types of care.

Article

Does unemployment harm mental health?

Stress, depression, insomnia, tension, feeling of uselessness… This article analyses how the mental health of workers was affected by the economic crisis and long-term unemployment.

Article

How many people do we know?

According to this study, we frequently interact with an average of 536 acquaintances, but the number is different for each person. What factors influence the size of our relationship circles?

Article

Who is affected by loneliness and social isolation?

The most visible face of loneliness is the feeling of not having people to call on or trust in case of need. Who does it affect most? We analyse the influence of factors such as age and gender.

You may also find interesting

Social welfare systems and inequality in Europe

Report

Social welfare systems and inequality in Europe


Social Inclusion

Spain’s social protection system is less redistributive than those of other EU countries. What reforms could help reduce economic inequality in Spain?

Detection of workplace bullying and its negative impact on psychological well-being

Article

Detection of workplace bullying and its negative impact on psychological well-being


Social Inclusion

11.2% of the population present a high probability of suffering a situation of harassment in their workplace and may develop generalised anxiety disorder. How can possible cases of psychological harassment be detected?

Technocratic attitudes in Spain during the pandemic

Article

Technocratic attitudes in Spain during the pandemic


Social Inclusion

In times of crisis, do citizens prefer to adopt a more technical type of government? According to this study, technocratic attitudes among Spanish people increased during the pandemic, especially among right-wing voters.