Background. Lockdown restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic exerted a strong impact on people’s quality of life and increased loneliness. This study evaluates the effect of the pandemic on loneliness in patients with burning mouth syndrome (BMS) compared with the general population. Methods. 100 BMS patients versus 100 healthy controls (HC) were recruited in five Italian centers. The 12-Item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21), the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), the short-form UCLA Loneliness Scale-8 (ULS-8), the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), and the Suicidal Ideation Attribute Scale (SIDAS) were administered. Results. BMS patients and HC showed high scores (16 [14-20.25] and 16 [14-18]) in the ULS-8. Statistically significant differences have been found considering the BMS patients lived with fewer relatives during the lockdown compared with the HC (2 [2-3] and 3 [2-4]; p: 0.012) with a lower level of satisfaction in relationships with relatives (4 [1.75-5] and 5 [4-5]; p < 0 001) and also in the DASS-21 total scores between the BMS patients and HC (16 [10-24.2] and 10 [4-17]; p < 0 001). The multivariate logistic regression revealed that age, education, DASS-21, and MSPSS were the most predictive variables and could explain 34.68% of the variance in the ULS-8 score (p < 0 001) in the BMS group. However, only the DASS-21 was significant in the HC group, explaining 10.11% of the variance of the ULS-8 (p: 0.033). Conclusions. Both the patients and controls experienced deep loneliness during the pandemic. However, in the BMS group, loneliness was significantly correlated with age, a higher level of education and stress, and a lower level of satisfaction in relationships with relatives and social support perceived compared with the controls.

Loneliness during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Patients with Burning Mouth Syndrome: A Multicentric Case-Control Italian Study

Adamo, Daniela;Ottaviani, Giulia;Rupel, Katia;Preda, Magdalena Theodora Bogdan;Vello, Veronica;Albert, Umberto;Gobbo, Margherita;Biasotto, Matteo;Mignogna, Michele Davide
2023-01-01

Abstract

Background. Lockdown restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic exerted a strong impact on people’s quality of life and increased loneliness. This study evaluates the effect of the pandemic on loneliness in patients with burning mouth syndrome (BMS) compared with the general population. Methods. 100 BMS patients versus 100 healthy controls (HC) were recruited in five Italian centers. The 12-Item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21), the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), the short-form UCLA Loneliness Scale-8 (ULS-8), the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), and the Suicidal Ideation Attribute Scale (SIDAS) were administered. Results. BMS patients and HC showed high scores (16 [14-20.25] and 16 [14-18]) in the ULS-8. Statistically significant differences have been found considering the BMS patients lived with fewer relatives during the lockdown compared with the HC (2 [2-3] and 3 [2-4]; p: 0.012) with a lower level of satisfaction in relationships with relatives (4 [1.75-5] and 5 [4-5]; p < 0 001) and also in the DASS-21 total scores between the BMS patients and HC (16 [10-24.2] and 10 [4-17]; p < 0 001). The multivariate logistic regression revealed that age, education, DASS-21, and MSPSS were the most predictive variables and could explain 34.68% of the variance in the ULS-8 score (p < 0 001) in the BMS group. However, only the DASS-21 was significant in the HC group, explaining 10.11% of the variance of the ULS-8 (p: 0.033). Conclusions. Both the patients and controls experienced deep loneliness during the pandemic. However, in the BMS group, loneliness was significantly correlated with age, a higher level of education and stress, and a lower level of satisfaction in relationships with relatives and social support perceived compared with the controls.
2023
8-nov-2023
Pubblicato
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
Loneliness during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Patients with Burning Mouth Syndrome.pdf

accesso aperto

Tipologia: Documento in Versione Editoriale
Licenza: Creative commons
Dimensione 914.45 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
914.45 kB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri
6666741.f1.pdf

accesso aperto

Descrizione: Questionario
Tipologia: Altro materiale allegato
Licenza: Digital Rights Management non definito
Dimensione 360.83 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
360.83 kB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri
Pubblicazioni consigliate

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11368/3065079
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 0
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 0
social impact