Potential impact of physical distancing on physical and mental health: a rapid narrative umbrella review of meta-analyses on the link between social connection and health.
health & safety
health policy
mental health
public health
risk management
Journal
BMJ open
ISSN: 2044-6055
Titre abrégé: BMJ Open
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101552874
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
18 03 2021
18 03 2021
Historique:
entrez:
19
3
2021
pubmed:
20
3
2021
medline:
24
3
2021
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
The imperative for physical distancing (mostly referred to as social distancing) during COVID-19 pandemic may deteriorate physical and mental health. We aimed at summarising the strength of evidence in the published literature on the association of physical and mental health with social connection via social isolation, living alone and loneliness. We conducted a systematic search in April 2020 to identify meta-analyses using the Medline, PsycINFO and Web of Science databases. The search strategy included terms of social isolation, loneliness, living alone and meta-analysis. Eligible meta-analyses needed to report any sort of association between an indicator of social connection and any physical or mental health outcome. The findings were summarised in a narrative synthesis. Twenty-five meta-analyses met our criteria, of which 10 focused on physical health and 15 on mental health outcomes. The results suggest that lack of social connection is associated with chronic physical symptoms, frailty, coronary heart disease, malnutrition, hospital readmission, reduced vaccine uptake, early mortality, depression, social anxiety, psychosis, cognitive impairment in later life and suicidal ideation. The existing evidence clearly indicates that social connection is associated with a range of poor physical and mental health outcomes. A potential negative impact on these outcomes needs to be considered in future decisions on physical distancing measures.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
The imperative for physical distancing (mostly referred to as social distancing) during COVID-19 pandemic may deteriorate physical and mental health. We aimed at summarising the strength of evidence in the published literature on the association of physical and mental health with social connection via social isolation, living alone and loneliness.
METHODS
We conducted a systematic search in April 2020 to identify meta-analyses using the Medline, PsycINFO and Web of Science databases. The search strategy included terms of social isolation, loneliness, living alone and meta-analysis. Eligible meta-analyses needed to report any sort of association between an indicator of social connection and any physical or mental health outcome. The findings were summarised in a narrative synthesis.
RESULTS
Twenty-five meta-analyses met our criteria, of which 10 focused on physical health and 15 on mental health outcomes. The results suggest that lack of social connection is associated with chronic physical symptoms, frailty, coronary heart disease, malnutrition, hospital readmission, reduced vaccine uptake, early mortality, depression, social anxiety, psychosis, cognitive impairment in later life and suicidal ideation.
CONCLUSIONS
The existing evidence clearly indicates that social connection is associated with a range of poor physical and mental health outcomes. A potential negative impact on these outcomes needs to be considered in future decisions on physical distancing measures.
Identifiants
pubmed: 33737424
pii: bmjopen-2020-042335
doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-042335
pmc: PMC7978290
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Meta-Analysis
Review
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
e042335Informations de copyright
© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
Competing interests: None declared.
Références
Soc Sci Med. 2017 Oct;191:65-76
pubmed: 28910599
Health Psychol Rev. 2021 Mar;15(1):85-112
pubmed: 31530154
J Cardiovasc Nurs. 2019 Jan/Feb;34(1):60-70
pubmed: 30312193
Ann Behav Med. 2009 Feb;37(1):29-37
pubmed: 19194770
BMJ. 2017 Sep 21;358:j4008
pubmed: 28935701
Lancet Psychiatry. 2020 Jun;7(6):547-560
pubmed: 32304649
Heart. 2016 Jul 1;102(13):1009-16
pubmed: 27091846
Dev Psychol. 2019 Jul;55(7):1548-1565
pubmed: 30896228
BMC Public Health. 2020 Feb 14;20(1):129
pubmed: 32054474
Annu Rev Psychol. 2015 Jan 3;66:733-67
pubmed: 25148851
Schizophr Bull. 2018 Jan 13;44(1):114-125
pubmed: 28369646
J Alzheimers Dis. 2019;70(s1):S119-S144
pubmed: 30372678
Ageing Res Rev. 2015 Jul;22:39-57
pubmed: 25956016
SSM Popul Health. 2019 May 04;8:100402
pubmed: 31193417
J Anxiety Disord. 2013 May;27(4):353-64
pubmed: 23746493
Int Rev Psychiatry. 2019 Aug - Sep;31(5-6):471-490
pubmed: 31331209
Int J Epidemiol. 2004 Aug;33(4):650-67
pubmed: 15282219
Psychosom Med. 2002 May-Jun;64(3):395-406
pubmed: 12021414
J Gen Intern Med. 2014 Nov;29(11):1429-31
pubmed: 25092012
Ann Intern Med. 2009 Aug 18;151(4):264-9, W64
pubmed: 19622511
Ageing Res Rev. 2019 Jul;52:7-16
pubmed: 30914351
Nurs Res. 2006 Sep-Oct;55(5):308-15
pubmed: 16980831
Gerontology. 2016;62(4):443-9
pubmed: 26539997
Vaccine. 2017 Apr 25;35(18):2315-2328
pubmed: 28343775
Nutrients. 2020 Mar 11;12(3):
pubmed: 32168827
Gerontologist. 2018 May 8;58(3):467-477
pubmed: 28201730
Ageing Res Rev. 2020 May;59:101048
pubmed: 32173535
Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2019 Sep - Oct;60:27-36
pubmed: 31310898
Arch Intern Med. 2012 Jul 23;172(14):1078-83
pubmed: 22710744
Subst Use Misuse. 2013 Jun;48(8):612-22
pubmed: 23750772
Annu Rev Public Health. 2013;34:337-54
pubmed: 23297662
Int J Soc Psychiatry. 2018 Aug;64(5):427-435
pubmed: 29792097
Int J Psychiatry Med. 2012;43(1):19-34
pubmed: 22641928
PLoS Curr. 2018 Mar 30;10:
pubmed: 30090669
Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2020 May;112:519-541
pubmed: 32092313
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2015 May 26;370(1669):
pubmed: 25870400
J Alzheimers Dis. 2018;66(4):1619-1633
pubmed: 30452410
Annu Rev Psychol. 2018 Jan 4;69:437-458
pubmed: 29035688
BMJ Open. 2017 Apr 26;7(4):e014304
pubmed: 28446525
J Pediatr Psychol. 2017 Jul 1;42(6):622-635
pubmed: 28340072
Perspect Psychol Sci. 2015 Mar;10(2):227-37
pubmed: 25910392
Psychol Aging. 2019 Dec;34(8):1144-1157
pubmed: 31804118
PLoS One. 2018 Jan 4;13(1):e0190033
pubmed: 29300743