Profiles of socially isolated community-dwelling older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: A latent class analysis

Prioritizing Protecting Oneself Over the COVID-19 Virus Versus Other Health and Social Needs Among Older Adults Living Alone: A Qualitative Study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

People aged 65 and older, deemed most "vulnerable" by public health, were targeted by the coronavirus disease 2019 protection measures, which sought to minimize physical contact and social activities. Older adults living alone were particularly affected by these measures. However, such measures meant to protect the older population may not have necessarily reflected older adults' individual prioritization choices. This study therefore aimed to understand how protecting oneself over the virus was considered in the prioritization of other health and social needs of older adults living alone during the pandemic.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

This study adopted a qualitative design. A total of 17 semistructured interviews were conducted between May 2021 and June 2022 with older adults living alone. All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. A reflexive thematic analysis as defined by Braun and Clarke was performed.

RESULTS

Our analysis showed 2 forms of prioritization across 2 themes. This first theme focused on participants who reported prioritizing protecting themselves over the virus by limiting in-person contact and activities. The second theme showed that although several participants reported that protecting themselves over the virus was important to them, the prioritization of this need was not shared by all and, in some cases, evolved over the course of the pandemic.

DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS

Our study demonstrated heterogeneity in the prioritization of older adults needs. Future public health recommendations should consider these variations in the needs and priorities of older adults when determining public health measures.

Daily Functional Characteristics and Health Among Older Adults During COVID-19: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

Within a few years, 1 in 6 people will be aged 60 years or older. Extreme situations, such as the COVID-19 crisis, constitute a challenge to older adults. However, the literature on the daily functional characteristics of older adults in the past and during the COVID-19 crisis and their relationships to their physical and mental health is scarce. This study aimed to examine the past and present daily functional factors associated with physical and mental health in older adults. Using an online platform, 204 Israelis aged 60 years and older reported their physical health symptoms and anxiety levels. They completed questionnaires about past (negative life events and childhood daily functional self-actualization) and present (adulthood daily functional self-actualization, functional cognition and sleep quality) factors. Structural equation modeling revealed correlations between functional cognition and childhood daily functional self-actualization (β = -.18) and anxiety (β = .15); adulthood daily functional self-actualization and past negative life events (β = -.18), anxiety (β = -.50), and physical symptoms (β = -16); and sleep quality and past childhood daily functional self-actualization (β = -.19), negative life events (β = .22), anxiety (β = .18), and physical symptoms (β = .40). These findings shed light on potential functional factors for older adults' health, indicating that these functional factors play a vital role in reducing health problems in later life.

A global perspective on risk factors for social isolation in community-dwelling older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

Older people's physical and mental health are now significantly impacted by social isolation, a major threat to public health. Our goal was to identify the connections between risk factors and social isolation among this population across various geographic areas.

METHODS

Seven databases were thoroughly searched, from their inception until April 2023. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were used to choose the studies. For the included cross-sectional studies, we used the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to assess the probability of bias, and the Newcastle-Ottawa scale for the cohort studies. The statistical analysis was performed using STATA 15 to calculate pooled odds ratios (OR) and 95% CI.

RESULTS

All 3043 papers were carefully examined, and 42 satisfied the criteria for inclusion. The results indicated that multi-domain risk factors and social isolation among older persons worldwide are significantly correlated. These multi-domain risk factors included biological factors, socioeconomic factors, and psychological and behavioral factors. It is also important to note that these factors may vary from region to region.

CONCLUSION

Many domain factors were linked to social isolation in older individuals living in communities throughout the world. To develop effective strategies for controlling social isolation, it is crucial to conduct assessments of social isolation risk factors in local communities.