A Cross-Sectional Psychological Study Investigating the Impact of Social Isolation on Individuals Experiencing Chronic Pain During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Introduction: Due to high COVID-19 morbidity and death rates among the elderly, social connections have been drastically reduced during the previous year. During the COVID-19 epidemic, this research evaluated the social, behavioral, and medical consequences of Social Isolation (SI) in community-dwelling older individuals.

Methods: Findings were stratified to analyze particular variations in two generally understudied groups, African American and Hispanic older adults. The research team surveyed people aged 55 and over (n = 575), assisted by elder living facilities and community-based groups. A dichotomous social isolation dependent variable was impacted by responses to a previously verified social isolation inquiry. Multivariable Logistic Regression (MLR) was used to take sociodemographic characteristics, health issues, unmet caregiving needs, and COVID-19 prevention strategies into consideration.

Results: In order to independently evaluate the predictors of social isolation in older African American and Hispanic populations, regression model results were stratified by race/ethnicity. Overall, having insurance showed an inverse link to social isolation, but having female sex and more education were both favorably connected with it. Both unmet caregiving demands and the presence of any chronic diseases were substantially linked to social isolation.

Conclusions: In older Hispanic persons, language usage, unmet caregiving needs, and social distance were all highly predictive of social isolation, unfulfilled caring needs, having one or more chronic diseases, and following social distance rules were significant predictors in older African Americans. Different findings show the need for treatments that are culturally aware to minimize the effects of social isolation in different at-risk populations and show the many ways in which social isolation affects older people.