Work

Intensive longitudinal assessment of mobility, social activity and loneliness in individuals with severe mental illness during COVID-19

Year: 2023

Type: article

Abstract: Social isolation and loneliness worsen symptoms and functioning among individuals diagnosed with severe mental illness (SMI) 1 , 2 . However, there is a dearth of studies on changes in social activity due to COVID-19 shelter-in-place-orders and how they might impact perception of loneliness. Additionally, to our knowledge, no data have been published on changes in mobility patterns during the pandemic, specifically regarding people with SMI. Mobility metrics can be derived from passively collected smartphone Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers and are important correlates of physical, cognitive, and mental health in chronic illness. Recent evidence suggests the potential of measuring mobility in the SMI population, given that increased time spent at home has been linked to neurocognitive function 3 , negative symptoms and community functioning in people with schizophrenia 4 , and depressive states in patients with bipolar disorder 4 . For adults with SMI, home can be a context of loneliness and isolation. Shelter-in-place orders, by limiting mobility, can influence the potential of social interactions outside home, thereby impacting loneliness perceptions. However, the potential influence of shelter-in-place orders, intended specifically to restrict mobility, on social interactions and subsequent loneliness perceptions remains unknown.

Source: Schizophrenia

DOI: 10.1038/s41537-023-00383-8