Social isolation, loneliness and positive mental health among older adults in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic
IntroductionSocial isolation and loneliness are associated with poorer mental health among older adults. However, less is known about how these experiences are independently associated with positive mental health (PMH) during the COVID-19 pandemic. MethodsWe analyzed data...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Health Agency of Canada
2023-04-01
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| Series: | Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention in Canada |
| Online Access: | https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/reports-publications/health-promotion-chronic-disease-prevention-canada-research-policy-practice/vol-43-no-4-2023/social-isolation-loneliness-positive-mental-health-older-adults-canada-covid-19-pandemic.html |
| _version_ | 1797847515979055104 |
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| author | Laura L. Ooi Li Liu Karen C. Roberts Geneviève Gariépy Colin A. Capaldi |
| author_facet | Laura L. Ooi Li Liu Karen C. Roberts Geneviève Gariépy Colin A. Capaldi |
| author_sort | Laura L. Ooi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
IntroductionSocial isolation and loneliness are associated with poorer mental health among older adults. However, less is known about how these experiences are independently associated with positive mental health (PMH) during the COVID-19 pandemic.
MethodsWe analyzed data from the 2020 and 2021 cycles of the Survey on COVID-19 and Mental Health to provide estimates of social isolation (i.e. living alone), loneliness and PMH outcomes (i.e. high self-rated mental health, high community belonging, mean life satisfaction) in the overall older adult population (i.e. 65+ years) and across sociodemographic groups. We also conducted logistic and linear regressions to separately and simultaneously examine how social isolation and loneliness are associated with PMH.
ResultsNearly 3 in 10 older adults reported living alone, and over a third reported feelings of loneliness due to the pandemic. When examined separately, living alone and loneliness were each associated with lower PMH. When assessed simultaneously, loneliness remained a significant independent factor associated with all three PMH outcomes (overall and across all sociodemographic groups), but living alone was only a significant factor for high community belonging in the overall population, for males and for those aged 65 to 74 years.
ConclusionOverall, social isolation and loneliness were associated with poorer wellbeing among older adults in Canada during the pandemic. Loneliness remained a significant factor related to all PMH outcomes after adjusting for social isolation, but not vice versa. The findings highlight the need to appropriately identify and support lonely older adults during (and beyond) the pandemic. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T18:13:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b6290567de974102a12448b1607b38b6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2368-738X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T18:13:48Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | Public Health Agency of Canada |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention in Canada |
| spelling | doaj.art-b6290567de974102a12448b1607b38b62023-04-13T11:21:35ZengPublic Health Agency of CanadaHealth Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention in Canada2368-738X2023-04-0143417118110.24095/hpcdp.43.4.02Social isolation, loneliness and positive mental health among older adults in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemicLaura L. Ooi0Li Liu1Karen C. Roberts2Geneviève Gariépy3Colin A. Capaldi4Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, CanadaPublic Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, CanadaPublic Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, CanadaPublic Health Agency of Canada, Montréal, Quebec, CanadaPublic Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada IntroductionSocial isolation and loneliness are associated with poorer mental health among older adults. However, less is known about how these experiences are independently associated with positive mental health (PMH) during the COVID-19 pandemic. MethodsWe analyzed data from the 2020 and 2021 cycles of the Survey on COVID-19 and Mental Health to provide estimates of social isolation (i.e. living alone), loneliness and PMH outcomes (i.e. high self-rated mental health, high community belonging, mean life satisfaction) in the overall older adult population (i.e. 65+ years) and across sociodemographic groups. We also conducted logistic and linear regressions to separately and simultaneously examine how social isolation and loneliness are associated with PMH. ResultsNearly 3 in 10 older adults reported living alone, and over a third reported feelings of loneliness due to the pandemic. When examined separately, living alone and loneliness were each associated with lower PMH. When assessed simultaneously, loneliness remained a significant independent factor associated with all three PMH outcomes (overall and across all sociodemographic groups), but living alone was only a significant factor for high community belonging in the overall population, for males and for those aged 65 to 74 years. ConclusionOverall, social isolation and loneliness were associated with poorer wellbeing among older adults in Canada during the pandemic. Loneliness remained a significant factor related to all PMH outcomes after adjusting for social isolation, but not vice versa. The findings highlight the need to appropriately identify and support lonely older adults during (and beyond) the pandemic.https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/reports-publications/health-promotion-chronic-disease-prevention-canada-research-policy-practice/vol-43-no-4-2023/social-isolation-loneliness-positive-mental-health-older-adults-canada-covid-19-pandemic.html |
| spellingShingle | Laura L. Ooi Li Liu Karen C. Roberts Geneviève Gariépy Colin A. Capaldi Social isolation, loneliness and positive mental health among older adults in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention in Canada |
| title | Social isolation, loneliness and positive mental health among older adults in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full | Social isolation, loneliness and positive mental health among older adults in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Social isolation, loneliness and positive mental health among older adults in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Social isolation, loneliness and positive mental health among older adults in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_short | Social isolation, loneliness and positive mental health among older adults in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_sort | social isolation loneliness and positive mental health among older adults in canada during the covid 19 pandemic |
| url | https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/reports-publications/health-promotion-chronic-disease-prevention-canada-research-policy-practice/vol-43-no-4-2023/social-isolation-loneliness-positive-mental-health-older-adults-canada-covid-19-pandemic.html |
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