NVC > Publikationer > The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on social isolation and loneliness – A Nordic research review
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on social isolation and loneliness – A Nordic research review
Välfärdspolitik
1 feb 2023
The COVID-19 pandemic has in many ways challenged the health and well-being of people, and more widely, the welfare systems in the Nordic countries. Due to regulations and lockdowns, many people have experienced social isolation, and certain vulnerable groups – such as older adults and those with disabilities – have been hit especially hard. As loneliness has implications for people’s long-term mental and physical health, the consequences of the pandemic are significant for health and social care as a whole.
This literature review describes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on loneliness and social isolation among younger and older adults living in the Nordic countries, with and without disabilities, and in different situations.
By means of a literature review of empirical studies on Nordic residents, this report answers the following questions:
What was the impact of the pandemic in terms of loneliness and social isolation among various groups in the Nordic countries?
Which groups were particularly susceptible to loneliness and social isolation during the COVID-19 measures?
What were the (typical) mechanisms through which COVID-19 measures affected loneliness and social isolation in each group?
Did the findings vary across the Nordic countries, and if so, how?
