Social distancing policy and mental health during COVID-19 pandemic: an 18-month longitudinal cohort study in South Korea.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Despite the effectiveness of social distancing policies in preventing the spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), their impact on mental health remains a concern. Longitudinal studies investigating the psychological effects of social distancing are limited.

Methods

Longitudinal data on psychological variables were collected eight times between May 2020 and November 2021 through online surveys in South Korea.

Results

The participants in the study reported a worsening of depressive and anxiety symptoms, suicide risk, and psychological distress with increasing levels of social distancing. Specifically, during the third wave, when social distancing levels peaked, the highest levels of depression, anxiety, and psychological distress were observed, and the

SUBMITTER: Bahk YC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10562579 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature