RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 COVID-19 Pandemic-Related Loneliness as a Potential Risk Factor for Worse Outcomes Among Pregnant and Postpartum People
JF The Annals of Family Medicine
JO Ann Fam Med
FD American Academy of Family Physicians
SP 4215
DO 10.1370/afm.21.s1.4215
VO 21
IS Supplement 1
A1 Allen, Emma
A1 Lennon, Robert
A1 Goldstein, Ellen
A1 Berg, Arthur
A1 Regner, Caitlin
A1 Zgierska, Aleksandra
YR 2023
UL http://www.annfammed.org/content/21/Supplement_1/4215.abstract
AB Context: The long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic-related isolation continue to unfold. Perinatal people may be especially susceptible to the impacts of social isolation and loneliness.Objective: Explore the COVID-19 pandemic-related impact on loneliness and other health determinants and better understand ways to support vulnerable perinatal people during times of crisis.Study Design/Analysis: Cross-sectional survey to assess the COVID-19 pandemic impact on perinatal people. Characteristics were compared between respondents who screened positive versus negative for loneliness using Wilcoxon, Fisher’s, or Pearson’s tests. Variables differing (p<0.05) between lonely and non-lonely subgroups were included in multivariate logistic regression analysis to assess factors associated with loneliness.Population Studied: Perinatal people who completed an electronic survey between 8/4/20 and 11/24/20 in Pennsylvania and 1/15/21 and 4/15/21 in Wisconsin.Intervention/Instrument: Anonymous survey containing questions across 8 health and health behavior domains, collecting quantitative and qualitative responses.Outcome Measures: Loneliness was assessed as a dichotomized variable (“lonely” vs. “not lonely”) according to total score on the 3-item UCLA Loneliness Scale: >5 versus ≤ 5 points, respectively.Results: Among 613 respondents, 48.8% were categorized as lonely. Lonely individuals were more likely to be postpartum (p=0.005), nulliparous (p=0.038), have more pregnancy complications (p=0.049), have a diagnosed mood disorder (p<0.001), receive mental health care (p<0.001), have elevated depression (p<0.001), anxiety (p<0.001), and stress scores (p<0.001), rate their social status as lower (p<0.001), and endorse a worse pandemic-life impact (p<0.001). In multivariate analysis assessing correlates of loneliness status, being postpartum (OR 0.59, 95% CI [0.40-0.87]), and having worse depression (OR 1.24, 95% CI [1.13-1.36]), stress (OR 0.41, 95% CI [0.28-0.60]), perceived social status (OR 0.83, 95% CI [0.73-0.95]), and pandemic-life impact (OR 1.79, 95% CI [1.11-2.93]) persisted as statistically significant.Conclusion: Among a group of perinatal people surveyed early during the COVID-19 pandemic, screening positive for loneliness was associated with a worse bio-psycho-social profile and more pregnancy complications. Focusing efforts on preventing loneliness may help improve other outcomes critical for maternal-fetal and child health.