Social Distancing in the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Social distancing has reemerged as a public health measure for containing the spread of COVID-19. This integrative review aims to analyze the historical use of social distancing, the current application during COVID-19, individual factors that affect social distancing practices, and consequential health outcomes. We analyzed relevant literature from searches conducted on Scopus, PubMed, and PsycINFO. We found that resources, culture, age, gender, and personality are associated with the degree to which people practice social distancing. Furthermore, social distancing changes our lifestyles and behavior and results in multifaceted health outcomes, including decreased physical activity and sunlight exposure, increased weight gain, and impaired sleep quality. On the positive side, social distancing has been linked to reduced crime rates and environmental damage, as well as better social and family ties. Future interventions may be utilized to increase adherence to social distancing practices and to mitigate the negative health effects of social distancing.