About
About COVID States
Learn about the project →
People
Meet the consortium →
Learning
Hands-on training→
Publications
Reports
Read all of our reports →
Publications
Read selected project papers →
Topics
Children and Youth
Explore this topic →
Economic Impact
Explore this topic →
Election
Explore this topic →
Executive Approval
Explore this topic →
Health Behavior
Explore this topic →
Mental Health
Explore this topic →
Misinformation
Explore this topic →
Policy Preferences
Explore this topic →
Schools
Explore this topic →
Testing
Explore this topic →
Vaccination
Explore this topic →
Other
Explore this topic →
Browse by Tag →
Data
Behaviors during COVID
View the tracker →
COVID-19 Tweets
View the tracker→
Trust in Institutions
View the tracker→
Vaccination Rates
View the tracker→
Views on Abortion
View the tracker→
Executive Approval
View the tracker→
Media Coverage
News articles
View selected media coverage →
Journalist resources
Inquiries →
Insights

Join Mailing ListContact Us
Home
About
About COVID States
Learn about the project →
People
Meet the consortium →
Publications
Reports
Read all of our reports →
Publications
Read selected project papers →
Topics
Children and Youth
Explore this topic →
Economic Impact
Explore this topic →
Election
Explore this topic →
Executive Approval
Explore this topic →
Health Behavior
Explore this topic →
Mental Health
Explore this topic →
Misinformation
Explore this topic →
Policy Preferences
Explore this topic →
Schools
Explore this topic →
Testing
Explore this topic →
Vaccination
Explore this topic →
Other
Explore this topic →
Data
Behaviors During COVID
View the tracker→
COVID-19 Tweets
View the tracker→
Trust in Institutions
View the tracker→
Vaccination Rates
View the tracker→
Views on Abortion
View the tracker→
Executive Approval
View the tracker→
Media Coverage
News articles
View selected news coverage →
Journalist resources
Inquiries→
Insights

Report #

55

Social Isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic

By the COVID-19 Consortium for Understanding the Public’s Policy Preferences Across States

Home
/
Publications
/
Reports
/
Social Isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic

Key takeaways

Overall, the levels of social isolation have increased since the first waves of the pandemic, in spring, 2020, but have been showing signs of improvement since January 2021. After its initial increase, the percentage of socially isolated respondents declined most among those with high income and education. We also observed a relatively faster drop in isolation among religious and older Americans. Conversely, unemployed and low SES respondents have barely recovered from the increases in social isolation suffered earlier in the pandemic. In addition, different types of support are not equally available across demographics. Men are substantially more isolated than women with respect to emotional support (but about equal in terms of economic); and white respondents are more socially isolated with respect to economic support; but less isolated emotionally relative to other racial/ethnic groups. Finally, we find a strong association between social isolation (specifically, in terms of relationships available for emotional support) and moderate to severe depressive symptoms. 

Featured media Coverage

August 18, 2021

We Need to Understand the Difference Between Isolation and Loneliness

New York Times
July 8, 2021

Social isolation in the U.S. rose even as the Covid crisis began to subside, new research shows.

New York Times

Tags

Mental Health



Report details

Published:
July
2021
Report Number:
55
Topic:
Mental Health
OSF Preprint:
View  
Download report   

Related Reports

Report #
101
May
2023
Mental Health Among Young Adults
Mental Health

Report #
98
February
2023
Depression, anxiety, stress, and loneliness among young Americans
Mental Health

Report #
84
April
2022
COVID-19 deaths and depression
Mental Health

Report #
54
May
2021
Mental health in the United States
Mental Health

Join our mailing list to receive updates about new reports, findings, and datasets!
Join Mailing List
A multi-university collaboration
About
About COVID States
People
Learning
Insights
Publications
Reports
Journal Publications
Topics
Children and Youth
Economic Impact
Election
Executive Approval
Health Behavior
Mental Health
Misinformation
Policy Preferences
Schools
Testing
Vaccination
Other
Data
Behaviors during COVID
COVID-19 Tweets
Trust in Institutions
Vaccination Rates
Views on Abortion
Media
News articles
Journalist resources
© 2022  The COVID-19 Consortium for Understanding the Public’s Policy Preferences Across States
Contact us