Journal Article

Determinants of social health trajectories during the COVID-19 pandemic in older adults: the Rotterdam Study

Hussainali, Rowina F., Vernooij, Meike W., van der Velpen, Isabelle F., Melis, René J. F., Ikram, M. Arfan, Perry, Marieke, Luik, Annemarie I., Vernooij-Dassen, Myrra J. F.

2024

Overview

ABSTRACTObjectivesThe coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and accompanying lockdown restrictions impacted social life significantly. We studied associations of sociodemographic factors, mental and social health markers, and brain structure with social health trajectories during the COVID-19 pandemic. DesignProspective longitudinal population-based cohort study. SettingCommunity-dwelling inhabitants of Rotterdam, the Netherlands. ParticipantsRepeated questionnaires including questions on social health were sent to Rotterdam Study participants from April 2020 onwards. Social health data at study baseline were available for 5017 participants (mean age: 68.7 ± 11.3; 56.9% women). MeasurementsDeterminants were assessed in routine Rotterdam Study follow-up (1990–2020), including global brain volumes in a subset of participants (N = 1720). We applied linear mixed models and generalized estimating equations to quantify associations between determinants and trajectories of loneliness, perceived social isolation and social connectedness over three time points from April 22nd to July 31st 2020. ResultsLoneliness prevalence was 27.9% in April 2020 versus 12.6% prepandemic. Social isolation (baseline mean 4.7 ± 2.4) and loneliness scores (baseline mean 4.9 ± 1.5) decreased over time, whereas social connectedness trajectories remained stable. Depressive symptoms, female sex, prepandemic loneliness, living alone, and not owning a pet were independently associated with lower social connectedness and higher social isolation and loneliness at COVID-19 baseline, but recovery of social health was similar for all determinants. Larger intracranial volume was associated with higher social connectedness. ConclusionsDespite baseline differences for specific determinants, older adults showed similar recovery of loneliness and social isolation alongside stable social connectedness over time during the pandemic. Social health is multidimensional, especially during a global health crisis.

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press,Elsevier Inc
• Subject: Adults / Age differences / Aged / Aged, 80 and over / Brain / Brain structure / Cognitive ability / Cohort analysis / Connectedness / COVID-19 / COVID-19 - epidemiology / COVID-19 - psychology / Data collection / epidemiology / Female / Health information / Humans / imaging / Independent Living / Living alone / Loneliness / Loneliness - psychology / longitudinal analyses / Longitudinal Studies / Magnetic resonance imaging / Male / Mental depression / Mental disorders / Mental Health / mental wellbeing / Middle Aged / Netherlands - epidemiology / Neurosciences / Nursing homes / Older people / Original Research Article / Pandemics / Prospective Studies / Questionnaires / Recovery / Registration / Rehabilitation / SARS-CoV-2 / Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 / Social Determinants of Health / Social factors / social health / Social isolation / Social Isolation - psychology / Social life & customs / Sociodemographics / Women