Defrancesco Michaela, Schurr Timo A, Hofer Alex
Division of Psychiatry I, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Psychosomatics and Medical Psychology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Front Psychiatry. 2024 Mar 11;15:1340498. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1340498. eCollection 2024.
A high burden and many negative outcomes for older people were associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Social isolation and loneliness are prevalent health problems impacting well-being and quality of life and may have increased due to pandemic-related restrictions. Methods: This study investigate the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on loneliness in people visiting a mem40ory clinic between March 2020 and September 2022. We conducted a prospective, single-center, questionnaire-based observational follow-up study to assess potential predictors of newly occurring, pandemic-related loneliness. Next to a newly developed COVID-19 questionnaire, a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery, the Neuropsychiatric Inventory and the Geriatric Depression Scale were used.
In total 426 people (mean age: 76.48 years, 12.9% cognitively intact, 33.1% diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment, 49.8% diagnosed with dementia, and 4.2% diagnosed with depression) completed the COVID-19 questionnaire at baseline and 166 at follow-up. Newly occurring loneliness was indicated by 22.3% of baseline participants and by 24.1% of follow-up participants. Results of logistic regression analysis showed that living alone (OR 5.452) and having less contact with friends (OR 2.771) were most predictive of the occurrence of loneliness. The use of digital communication media as an alternative strategy for social interaction was lowest in dementia patients (6-13%).
In conclusion, personal contacts and a close friendship network appear to be more decisive to prevent loneliness in older people than does the use of digital communication media. However, promoting an intensified use of digital communication media may be useful to counteract loneliness, especially in dementia patients.
新冠疫情给老年人带来了沉重负担和诸多负面后果。社会隔离和孤独是影响幸福感和生活质量的普遍健康问题，且可能因疫情相关限制而有所增加。方法：本研究调查了2020年3月至2022年9月期间到记忆门诊就诊的人群中，新冠疫情对孤独感的影响。我们进行了一项前瞻性、单中心、基于问卷的观察性随访研究，以评估新出现的、与疫情相关的孤独感的潜在预测因素。除了一份新开发的新冠问卷外，还使用了一套全面的神经心理测试组合、神经精神科问卷和老年抑郁量表。
共有426人（平均年龄：76.48岁，12.9%认知功能正常，33.1%被诊断为轻度认知障碍，49.8%被诊断为痴呆，4.2%被诊断为抑郁）在基线时完成了新冠问卷，随访时为166人。基线参与者中有22.3%、随访参与者中有24.1%表示出现了新的孤独感。逻辑回归分析结果显示，独居（比值比5.452）和与朋友联系较少（比值比2.771）最能预测孤独感的发生。痴呆患者将数字通信媒体作为社交互动替代策略的使用率最低（6 - 13%）。
总之，对于预防老年人的孤独感而言，个人交往和紧密的友谊网络似乎比使用数字通信媒体更为关键。然而，推广更频繁地使用数字通信媒体可能有助于对抗孤独感，尤其是对痴呆患者。
