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Impact of Social Isolation during the COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health, Substance Use, and Homelessness: Qualitative Interviews with Behavioral Health Providers

Author

Listed:
  • Alexiss Jeffers

    (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 Emergency Response, 1600 Clifton Rd., Atlanta, GA 30329, USA)

  • Ashley A. Meehan

    (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 Emergency Response, 1600 Clifton Rd., Atlanta, GA 30329, USA)

  • Jordan Barker

    (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 Emergency Response, 1600 Clifton Rd., Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
    Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Fellow, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, 100 Orau Way, Oak Ridge, TN 37830, USA)

  • Alice Asher

    (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 Emergency Response, 1600 Clifton Rd., Atlanta, GA 30329, USA)

  • Martha P. Montgomery

    (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 Emergency Response, 1600 Clifton Rd., Atlanta, GA 30329, USA)

  • Greg Bautista

    (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 Emergency Response, 1600 Clifton Rd., Atlanta, GA 30329, USA)

  • Colleen M. Ray

    (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 Emergency Response, 1600 Clifton Rd., Atlanta, GA 30329, USA)

  • Rebecca L. Laws

    (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 Emergency Response, 1600 Clifton Rd., Atlanta, GA 30329, USA)

  • Victoria L. Fields

    (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 Emergency Response, 1600 Clifton Rd., Atlanta, GA 30329, USA)

  • Lakshmi Radhakrishnan

    (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 Emergency Response, 1600 Clifton Rd., Atlanta, GA 30329, USA)

  • Susan Cha

    (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 Emergency Response, 1600 Clifton Rd., Atlanta, GA 30329, USA)

  • Aleta Christensen

    (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 Emergency Response, 1600 Clifton Rd., Atlanta, GA 30329, USA)

  • Brandi Dupervil

    (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 Emergency Response, 1600 Clifton Rd., Atlanta, GA 30329, USA)

  • Jorge V. Verlenden

    (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 Emergency Response, 1600 Clifton Rd., Atlanta, GA 30329, USA)

  • Cynthia H. Cassell

    (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 Emergency Response, 1600 Clifton Rd., Atlanta, GA 30329, USA)

  • Alaina Boyer

    (National Healthcare for the Homeless Council, 604 Gallatin Ave, Nashville, TN 37206, USA)

  • Barbara DiPietro

    (National Healthcare for the Homeless Council, 604 Gallatin Ave, Nashville, TN 37206, USA)

  • Margaret Cary

    (Oregon Health Authority, 500 Summer Street NE, Salem, OR 97301, USA)

  • Maria Yang

    (Downtown Emergency Service Center, 515 3rd Ave, Seattle, WA 98114, USA)

  • Emily Mosites

    (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 Emergency Response, 1600 Clifton Rd., Atlanta, GA 30329, USA)

  • Ruthanne Marcus

    (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 Emergency Response, 1600 Clifton Rd., Atlanta, GA 30329, USA)

Abstract

The United States is experiencing a syndemic of homelessness, substance use disorder, and mental health conditions, which has been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Although it is expected that mitigation strategies will curb community transmission of COVID-19, the unintended consequences of social isolation on mental health and substance use are a growing public health concern. Awareness of changing mental health and substance use treatment needs due to the pandemic is critical to understanding what additional services and support are needed during and post-pandemic, particularly among people experiencing homelessness who have pre-existing serious mental illness or substance use disorder. To evaluate these effects and support our understanding of mental health and substance use outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic, we conducted a qualitative study where behavioral health providers serving people experiencing homelessness described the impact of COVID-19 among their clients throughout the United States. Behavioral health providers shared that experiencing social isolation worsened mental health conditions and caused some people to return to substance use and fatally overdose. However, some changes initiated during the pandemic resulted in positive outcomes, such as increased client willingness to discuss mental health topics. Our findings provide additional evidence that the social isolation experienced during the pandemic has been detrimental to mental health and substance use outcomes, especially for people experiencing homelessness.

Suggested Citation

  • Alexiss Jeffers & Ashley A. Meehan & Jordan Barker & Alice Asher & Martha P. Montgomery & Greg Bautista & Colleen M. Ray & Rebecca L. Laws & Victoria L. Fields & Lakshmi Radhakrishnan & Susan Cha & Al, 2022. "Impact of Social Isolation during the COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health, Substance Use, and Homelessness: Qualitative Interviews with Behavioral Health Providers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-15, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:19:p:12120-:d:924579
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Debanjan Banerjee & Mayank Rai, 2020. "Social isolation in Covid-19: The impact of loneliness," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 66(6), pages 525-527, September.
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    1. Zahra Mojtahedi & Ying Guo & Pearl Kim & Parsa Khawari & Hailey Ephrem & Jay J. Shen, 2023. "Mental Health Conditions– and Substance Use—Associated Emergency Department Visits during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Nevada, USA," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-11, March.

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