Socioeconomic status and other factors predict older adults' loneliness during pandemic

Low socioeconomic status, worse physical health and less resiliency predicted loneliness among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to results of a cross-sectional national survey.

“First, this study sought to document the emotional distress, loneliness and social support, resiliency and activity levels, and physical health among older adults,” Nichole Sams, of the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Washington, and colleagues wrote in The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. “Because of the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on underrepresented groups, we also examined differences by income and reported racial and ethnic background (ie, proxies for systemic discrimination). Second, we examined how each of these constructs predicted loneliness and distress. Information from this survey might inform which older adults should be the focus of intervention efforts, and what strategies may serve to reduce the negative consequences of social distancing policies in future pandemics.”

The researchers received surveys from 501 adults aged 60 years or older in the United States via online crowdsourcing survey platforms. The survey incorporated the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7-item, the Short Health Anxiety Inventory, the three-item UCLA Loneliness scale, the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) instrumental and emotional support scale, the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale and a COVID-19 needs assessment.

A total of 13% of respondents reported moderate depressive symptoms, 9% reported moderate anxiety symptoms and 26% said they felt lonely. Those who were emotionally distressed reported higher loneliness, lower resiliency, less physical exercise and worse physical health. Those with low socioeconomic status were less likely to feel lonely, less likely to engage in physical exercise and had worse physical health. Those who reported loneliness also reported less resilience, less physical exercise and worse physical health. Significant predictors of loneliness included resilience, socioeconomic status and physical health, and global health best predicted emotional distress, according to a multiple logistic regression.

“This study points to the need to create outreach efforts to older adults with less financial, psychological and physical health resources and include methods for increasing social connection and physical activity and facilitating resilience,” Sams and colleagues wrote.