TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2021//
TI  - Depression and loneliness during April 2020 COVID-19 restrictions in the United States, and their associations with frequency of social and sexual connections
JO  - Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology
A1  - Rosenberg, Molly
A1  - Luetke, Maya
A1  - Hensel, Devon
A1  - Kianersi, Sina
A1  - Fu, Tsung-Chieh
A1  - Herbenick, Debby
SP  - ePub
EP  - ePub
VL  - ePub
IS  - ePub
N2  - 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>
LA  - en
SN  - 0933-7954
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00127-020-02002-8
ID  - ref1
ER  -