NAKO study on loneliness during the first wave of the corona pandemic in Germany

06.08.2021 12:40

The consequences that characterize a deterioration in mental health include - in addition to symptoms of anxiety and depression as well as increased stress - also increased loneliness, as shown in the study "Loneliness during the first wave of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic" by the NAKO consortium ( Berger, K., Riedel-Heller, S., Pabst, A et al Loneliness during the first wave of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic - results of the NAKO health study. Federal Health Bulletin - 2021 - https://doi.org/10.1007 /s00103-021-03393-y).

Loneliness is understood as the self-perceived quality of relationships with other people.

In the period from April 30th to May 30th, 2020 - i.e. during the first hard lockdown in Germany - the 205,000 adults in the NAKO health study were asked to also take part in a special COVID-19 survey. After the first 30 days, the scientists already had 113,928 (almost 60%) completely completed questionnaires at their disposal. This data set is the basis of the aforementioned study on loneliness. By the end of the COVID survey, participation increased to 82% of NAKO participants.

32% of the participants considered themselves lonely - namely 26% of the men and 37% of the women. Older people were less affected than young people. In total, 80% of participants reported that they had sometimes or often experienced feelings of missing the company of others. One in two felt lonelier during the first lockdown than before - women slightly more often (57%) than men (44%).

“Lonely people during the pandemic reported more depressive and anxiety symptoms in the NAKO basic examination than NAKO participants who were not lonely during the pandemic,” according to the researchers’ observation. In addition, people without a living relationship or participants who reported fear of Corona were more affected by loneliness.