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

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, Aleta Christensen, Brandi Dupervil, Jorge V. Verlenden, Cynthia H. Cassell, Alaina Boyer, Barbara DiPietro, Margaret Cary, Maria Yang, Emily Mosites and Ruthanne Marcus
Additional contact information
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
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

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 19, 1-15

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.

Keywords: COVID-19; social isolation; behavioral health providers; mental health; substance use; homelessness (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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