The University of Texas at Austin: Empathy-Focused Phone Calls Alleviate Loneliness, Depression, Anxiety During COVID-19 Pandemic
Share Social isolation arising from COVID-19 has sparked significant mental health issues, resulting in a jump from 1 in 10 adults reporting anxiety or depressive disorder symptoms before the pandemic to 1 in 3 adults more recently. But new research published today in JAMA Psychiatry shows that loneliness, depression, anxiety and overall mental health among older people can be improved through an empathy-focused telephone program. Known as “Sunshine Calls,” the four-week program was conducted as a randomized controlled trial of 240 mostly homebound, older adults. Lay callers engaged in te...