@article{ref1,
title="Depression and loneliness during April 2020 COVID-19 restrictions in the United States, and their associations with frequency of social and sexual connections",
journal="Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology",
year="2021",
author="Rosenberg, Molly and Luetke, Maya and Hensel, Devon and Kianersi, Sina and Fu, Tsung-Chieh and Herbenick, Debby",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="PURPOSE: To estimate the prevalence of depression and loneliness during the US COVID-19 response, and examine their associations with frequency of social and  sexual connections. <br><br>METHODS: We conducted an online cross-sectional survey of a  nationally representative sample of American adults (n = 1010), aged 18-94, running  from April 10-20, 2020. We assessed depressive symptoms (CES-D-10 scale), loneliness  (UCLA 3-Item Loneliness scale), and frequency of in-person and remote social  connections (4 items, e.g., hugging family member, video chats) and sexual  connections (4 items, e.g., partnered sexual activity, dating app use). <br><br>RESULTS:  One-third of participants (32%) reported depressive symptoms, and loneliness was  high [mean (SD): 4.4 (1.7)]. Those with depressive symptoms were more likely to be  women, aged 20-29, unmarried, and low-income. Very frequent in-person connections  were generally associated with lower depression and loneliness; frequent remote  connections were not. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Depression and loneliness were elevated during  the early US COVID-19 response. Those who maintained very frequent in-person, but  not remote, social and sexual connections had better mental health outcomes. While  COVID-19 social restrictions remain necessary, it will be critical to expand mental  health services to serve those most at-risk and identify effective ways of  maintaining social and sexual connections from a distance.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0933-7954",
doi="10.1007/s00127-020-02002-8",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00127-020-02002-8"
}