The social lives of adults living alone during a public health emergency: Implications for future infectious disease outbreaks.

Public health restrictions during infectious disease outbreaks can have a significant impact on the social lives of all individuals given public health guidance related to quarantining, shelter-in-place, and social distancing. These impacts may be felt differently or more profoundly by people who live alone. However, minimal research or public health guidance focused on the needs of individuals living alone. In this qualitative study, eight focus groups were completed with 37 participants that had experience living alone during some point in the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants lived in different regions of the United States and were predominantly female and White. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify codes related to how social lives were impacted and how the individuals adapted at different phases of the pandemic. Participants reported their adaptation changed depending on the phase of the pandemic, and some reported needing to socialize despite the risk. Some individuals were able to gain social connection through technology or finding support within their community, whereas others experienced heightened levels of loneliness and negative coping. Implications for providing guidance that addresses the large population of adults that live alone are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).