Summary: A large UK study finds that people who currently have or previously experienced COVID-19 symptoms are more likely to suffer from general psychiatric disorders and increased loneliness. Women and younger adults face higher risks.
Source: University of Cambridge
People with current or past COVID-19 symptoms are more likely to experience general psychiatric disorders and feelings of loneliness, and women and young adults are particularly vulnerable, according to a newly published study co-authored by researchers at Cambridge Judge Business School.
Published in the journal Psychiatry Research, the study draws on answers from 15,530 respondents in the UK and is described as the first large-scale, nationally representative survey of its kind in a developed country. The research focuses on broader mental health outcomes rather than only specific clinical diagnoses, offering a more comprehensive view of the pandemic’s psychological impact.
Previous work largely targeted specific disorders such as anxiety, depression or insomnia. This study highlights that limiting attention to those diagnoses risks underestimating the pandemic’s wider psychiatric burden and overlooking many individuals who may need support despite not meeting clinical thresholds.
The researchers measured general psychiatric disorders using the widely accepted 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), which assesses symptoms such as depressive anxiety, reduced confidence, and lowered overall happiness. Loneliness was evaluated with an item adapted from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing that asks how often respondents felt lonely in the previous four weeks.
“Loneliness is linked to long-term health outcomes including all-cause mortality, so public health policies need to be aware of the (mental) health consequences of the disease control measures,” the study says.
Key findings include that 29.2% of respondents scored 4 or higher on the GHQ-12, meeting the common caseness threshold used to flag potential need for clinical referral, and 35.86% reported sometimes or often feeling lonely. Further analysis showed that respondents who reported current or prior COVID-19 symptoms were significantly more likely to meet the GHQ-12 threshold and to report loneliness.
Co-author Senhu Wang of the Centre for Business Research at Cambridge Judge suggests that people who experienced symptoms may face heightened anxiety about their health and greater social isolation, both of which can contribute to psychiatric symptoms and loneliness.
The survey also identified important social determinants. Women and respondents aged 18–30 were at higher risk of general psychiatric disorders and loneliness. The authors suggest this pattern may reflect greater disruption to younger adults’ social and economic lives during the public health crisis. By contrast, being employed and living with a partner emerged as significant protective factors, indicating that social and financial support from work and household relationships may buffer psychological harm.
The survey was carried out toward the end of April 2020, at a time when the UK had recorded around 23,000 coronavirus-related deaths. The researchers did not find significant regional differences across UK nations or areas in either general psychiatric disorder scores or loneliness prevalence.
Based on these findings, the study calls for public health responses and future research to look beyond narrowly defined psychiatric diagnoses and to consider more widespread psychological distress and loneliness in the general population. It recommends particular attention for vulnerable groups including women, younger people, the unemployed, those not living with a partner, and individuals who have experienced COVID-19 symptoms.
The authors note that the pandemic may widen social inequalities in mental health and underline the need to evaluate and implement interventions—such as mindfulness and stress-reduction approaches—and ensure timely access to psychiatric services for those affected.
About this COVID-19 research article
Source:
University of Cambridge
Media Contacts:
Charles Goldsmith – University of Cambridge
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The image is in the public domain.
Original Research: Open access
“Prevalence and predictors of general psychiatric disorders and loneliness during COVID-19 in the United Kingdom” by Lambert Zixin Li and Senhu Wang. Psychiatry Research
Abstract
Prevalence and predictors of general psychiatric disorders and loneliness during COVID-19 in the United Kingdom
While many studies have documented rates of specific psychiatric disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic, less is known about its broader psychological effects across the general population. This study examines the prevalence and predictors of general psychiatric disorder, measured by the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), and the frequency of loneliness among UK residents. Using data from 15,530 respondents in the first wave of the nationally representative Understanding Society COVID-19 Study, results show that 29.2% of respondents reached the GHQ-12 caseness threshold (score ≥4) and 35.86% reported feeling lonely sometimes or often. Regression analyses indicate that individuals who have or had COVID-19-related symptoms are more likely to experience general psychiatric disorders and loneliness. Women and younger adults face higher risks, whereas employment and cohabiting with a partner act as protective factors. The findings highlight widespread psychological impacts and social inequalities that merit attention in public health planning and future research.