RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHANGE IN FACE-TO-FACE SOCIAL ACTIVITY AND LONELINESS DURING COVID PANDEMIC IN US ADULTS
2024
Social Activity and Loneliness During COVID-19
Sample size: 1412
publication
Evidence: moderate
Author Information
Author(s): Jeon Sangha, Charles Susan
Primary Institution: University of California Irvine
Hypothesis
Does a decrease in face-to-face social activity during the pandemic correlate with increased loneliness in older adults?
Conclusion
Engagement in diverse face-to-face social activities is linked to lower loneliness, and online interactions cannot replace the loss of in-person connections.
Supporting Evidence
- A greater decrease in face-to-face social activity was linked to higher loneliness.
- Online social activity variety did not help reduce loneliness.
Takeaway
When people couldn't meet face-to-face during the pandemic, they felt lonelier, and just chatting online didn't help much.
Methodology
The study used data from the Health and Retirement Study, comparing social activity participation in 2016 and 2020.
Participant Demographics
Adults aged 50 and older.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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