Public health in the post COVID-19 pandemic and mental health onslaught: Social isolation based on a biopsychosocial approach

The COVID-19 pandemic has unveiled profound deficiencies in global mental health care and prevention, posing a disproportionate threat to public health worldwide. Social isolation, a consequence of the pandemic, has strained the boundaries of human cooperation, giving rise to a spectrum of mental health challenges including stress, fear, grief, anxiety, and depression. This research empirically investigates the concept of social distance concerning individuals with mental health conditions while considering biopsychosocial determinants, notably social media influence and attitudes. A comprehensive analysis was conducted on a sample comprising 424 students from public universities along the eastern coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The findings reveal that attitudes towards mental health and the influence of social media play substantial roles in predicting social distance from individuals with mental health conditions. These predictive factors contribute significantly, accounting for up to 10.6% of the variance in social isolation. The consequences of social distance encompass a broad spectrum, ranging from heightened fear and anxiety to the development of obsessive-compulsive disorders rooted in the fear of social rejection. A biopsychosocial framework emerges as the most comprehensive approach to understanding the intricate interplay of these multifaceted factors.