Literature Review #1


Citation:

Holt-Lunstad, Julianne. "The Double Pandemic Of Social Isolation And COVID-19: Cross-Sector Policy Must Address Both | Health Affairs Blog". Healthaffairs.Org, 2021, https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hblog20200609.53823.

https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hblog20200609.53823

Summary: 

This article focuses on how social interactions are key to human health and survival. Also exemplifies the now known need for these social interactions and how it is going to be a heightened concern. When life starts to become normal again there is going to be a need for social and emotional support for those that have been deprived for so long. She also talks about how policies are going to have to take serious consideration of the impact of social isolation on individuals like mental health. 


Author: 

Julianne Holt-Lunstad

Julianne Holt-Lunstad is a psychology professor at Bringham Young University. She was also the first U.S researcher to public an extensive work of literature on the effects of poor social support and how it can lead to morbidity. She had published an eye opening study on the connection between social support and morbidity. This exemplified the life spans of people with high social interaction vs those who do not. She has experience in the field of social support and isolation and the effects it has on humans. I think she also provides great evidence to support my research question pertaining to the effects of social isolation due to Covid-19. 

Key Terms: 

“Support systems”: people there for those in time of struggle and need


“Emotional distress”: a unpleasant emotional reaction due to a serious event, can lead to depression and anxiety


“Morbidity”: being diseased


Quotes:

“Immediate effects of social isolation related to the pandemic have already been observed, with surges in mental health concerns, substance abuse, and domestic violence.”


“If the prevalence rates of social isolation and loneliness remain elevated or increase, such changes are likely to lead to a greater public health burden in the longer term.”


“Nonetheless social isolation and loneliness do have immediate effects that are health-relevant that should not be ignored.”


Value:

This article gave me greater insight on the effects of social isolation. Not only for college students but for the general public. I think it really showed the risks at play. It did not beat around the bush and got straight to the problem at hand: social isolation. She also explained how the pandemic is affecting people which is key to my argument. When reading this article I got to really know what risks students are facing with social isolation. It is scary to think of the morbidity rate that is possible. 

Comments

  1. Michael GoellerFebruary 18, 2021 at 11:08 PM

    This does not qualify as a scholarly or peer reviewed source. It is basically a blog post, albeit one by a knowledgeable academic. I saw that this same author wrote a somewhat more academic version of this article in a peer reviewed journal: "A pandemic of social isolation?" World Psychiatry 12 January 2021 https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20839. It is worth comparing. The biggest difference between the two is that the one in the journal has better references to other research (so you would be able to find the actual articles or research referenced) and gives more detail about that research. It also defines terms and is somewhat more informative about the effects of social isolation on health. This blog post is really directed at influencing policy based on her research.

    That said, there are really a lot better sources available. A quick search for "COVID-19" and "social isolation" at the Rutgers Libraries turned up lots of good material. We forget that this pandemic has been with us for over a year, so the peer reviewed research is definitely out there. Please stick to peer reviewed sources found through the Rutgers Libraries.

    Also: I would say her key terms are "social isolation" (a good one), "social connectivity," "social determinants of health," and "'social in all policy' framework."

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Michael GoellerFebruary 18, 2021 at 11:15 PM

      By the way: Armstrong & Hamilton have a good chapter on "social isolates" in the dorm and the ways that social isolation damages college success. It is in Chapter 4, "The Floor." (I give a direct link to the full book on Canvas). I especially like their idea of "the vampire effect," which a previous student analyzed in terms of "social comparison theory."

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