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Choi NG, Hammaker S, DiNitto DM, et al. COVID-19 and Loneliness among Older Adults: Associations with Mode of Family/Friend Contacts and Social Participation. Clin Gerontol. 2021;1-13doi: 10.1080/07317115.2021.2013383.
Choi, N. G., Hammaker, S., DiNitto, D. M., & Marti, C. N. (2021). COVID-19 and Loneliness among Older Adults: Associations with Mode of Family/Friend Contacts and Social Participation. Clinical gerontologist, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1080/07317115.2021.2013383
Choi, Namkee G, et al. "COVID-19 and Loneliness among Older Adults: Associations with Mode of Family/Friend Contacts and Social Participation." Clinical gerontologist vol. (2021): 1-13. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/07317115.2021.2013383
Choi NG, Hammaker S, DiNitto DM, Marti CN. COVID-19 and Loneliness among Older Adults: Associations with Mode of Family/Friend Contacts and Social Participation. Clin Gerontol. 2021 Dec 28;1-13. doi: 10.1080/07317115.2021.2013383. Epub 2021 Dec 28. PMID: 34962454.
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Clin Gerontol. 2021 Dec 28;1-13. doi: 10.1080/07317115.2021.2013383. Epub 2021 Dec 28.

COVID-19 and Loneliness among Older Adults: Associations with Mode of Family/Friend Contacts and Social Participation.

Clinical gerontologist

Namkee G Choi, Sarah Hammaker, Diana M DiNitto, C Nathan Marti

Affiliations

  1. Steve Hicks School of Social Work, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA.

PMID: 34962454 DOI: 10.1080/07317115.2021.2013383

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Given physical/social distancing due to COVID-19, we examined associations between self-reported loneliness and changes in contact with family/friends and mode of social participation among older adults.

METHODS: Data came from the 2020 National Health and Aging Trend Study (NHATS) and its supplemental mail COVID-19 survey (N = 2,910 respondents who reported changes in loneliness during the COVID-19 outbreak). We fit a generalized linear model (GLM) with Poisson and log link using increased versus the same/decreased loneliness as the dependent variable and changes in frequencies of four modalities of contact with family/friends and social participation mode during COVID-19 as the independent variables.

RESULTS: Approximately 19% of respondents reported feeling lonely on more days during COVID-19. GLM results showed that decreased in-person contact (AOR = 1.42, 95% CI = 1.17-1.73) and increased video call contact (AOR = 1.30, 95% CI = 1.01-1.66) with family/friends and on-line participation in clubs, classes, and other organized activities (AOR = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.04-1.77) were associated with higher odds of increased loneliness.

CONCLUSIONS: Virtual interaction is not an effective substitute for in-person interaction for older adults and is associated with increased loneliness.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: : Innovative means of making virtual contacts more similar to in-person contacts are needed to decrease older adults' loneliness during COVID-19.

Keywords: Loneliness; in-person contact; paid work; social participation; virtual contact

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