Derynda Brittany, Siegel Joy, Maurice Linda, Cook Nicole
Public Health, Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Fort Lauderdale, USA.
Public Health, Sursus Impact Group, Lifelong Learning Institute, Fort Lauderdale, USA.
Cureus. 2022 Apr 27;14(4):e24525. doi: 10.7759/cureus.24525. eCollection 2022 Apr.
Social isolation and loneliness are major health concerns for older adults, with the current prevalence of social isolation among older adults estimated to be as high as 43%. In older adults, loneliness and social isolation have both been linked with poor health outcomes including falls, re-hospitalizations, dementia, and all-cause mortality. During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, older adults constituted one of the most at-risk groups and were faced with some of the strictest and earliest social distancing recommendations, which were associated with increased feelings of loneliness and increased rates of depression and anxiety, upwards of 12%. The objective of this study was to identify the impact of online social connection on feelings of isolation and companionship among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines in March 2020, two South Florida social and educational programs for older adults adopted online programming utilizing the Zoom platform. A research team worked collaboratively with senior stakeholders to develop and administer a survey to understand the impact of online social connections on feelings of social isolation. One year later in 2021, the survey was reviewed, modified, and re-administered. Respondents of the survey included 211 older adults (mean age 75.5 years old). Notable findings included a strong association between frequency of online class attendance and increased feelings of connectedness (p<0.001), improved spirits (p<0.001), and decreased feelings of social isolation (p<0.001). These results underscore the importance and contribution of online programming among older adults during times of social isolation. Overall, clinical practitioners should consider the importance of initiating discussions with older adults regarding returning to activities that they enjoyed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
社交孤立和孤独是老年人主要的健康问题，据估计，目前老年人中社交孤立的患病率高达43%。在老年人中，孤独和社交孤立都与不良健康后果有关，包括跌倒、再次住院、痴呆症和全因死亡率。在2019年冠状病毒病（COVID-19）大流行期间，老年人是风险最高的群体之一，面临着一些最严格、最早的社交距离建议，这与孤独感增加以及抑郁和焦虑率上升有关，抑郁和焦虑率超过12%。本研究的目的是确定在COVID-19大流行期间，在线社交联系对老年人孤独感和陪伴感的影响。2020年3月，遵循美国疾病控制与预防中心（CDC）的指导方针，南佛罗里达州的两个针对老年人的社会和教育项目采用了利用Zoom平台的在线课程。一个研究团队与老年利益相关者合作，开发并实施了一项调查，以了解在线社交联系对社交孤立感的影响。一年后的2021年，对该调查进行了审查、修改并重新实施。该调查的受访者包括211名老年人（平均年龄75.5岁）。显著发现包括在线课程出勤率与联系感增强（p<0.001）、精神状态改善（p<0.001）以及社交孤立感降低（p<0.001）之间存在密切关联。这些结果强调了在社交孤立时期，在线课程对老年人的重要性和贡献。总体而言，临床医生应考虑与老年人展开讨论，探讨让他们恢复在COVID-19大流行之前喜欢的活动的重要性。
