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Short- and Medium-Term Effects of Ageism on Loneliness Experienced During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

ABSTRACT: Loneliness, common in old age, may be partially attributed to ageism. The present study explored the short- and medium-term effect of ageism on loneliness experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic using prospective data derived from the Israeli sample of the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) (N = 553). Ageism was measured before the COVID-19 outbreak and loneliness in the summer of 2020 and 2021 using a direct single question. We also tested for age differences in this association. In both the 2020 and 2021 models, ageism was related to increased loneliness. This association remained significant after adjusting for a host of demographic, health, and social variables. In the 2020 model, we also found that the positive association between ageism and loneliness was significant only in people aged 70+. We discussed the results with reference to the COVID-19 pandemic, which drew attention to two global social phenomena: loneliness and ageism.

SUBMITTER: Shiovitz-Ezra S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9947391 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Short- and Medium-Term Effects of Ageism on Loneliness Experienced During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Shiovitz-Ezra Sharon S Erlich Bracha B Ayalon Liat L

Journal of applied gerontology : the official journal of the Southern Gerontological Society 20230221 6

Loneliness, common in old age, may be partially attributed to ageism. The present study explored the short- and medium-term effect of ageism on loneliness experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic using prospective data derived from the Israeli sample of the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) (<i>N</i> = 553). Ageism was measured before the COVID-19 outbreak and loneliness in the summer of 2020 and 2021 using a direct single question. We also tested for age differences in th ...[more]

PMID: 36809924

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Project description:IntroductionAfter rapidly opening up a low-threshold clinic to support heavily opioid-dependent persons at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020 in Hamburg (Germany), this non-interventional study evaluated the feasibility and short-term effects of opioid substitution treatment (OST). The low-threshold concept was customized for the pandemic situation and is the first of its kind in Germany.MethodsPatients who had already begun treatment were questioned in two assessments, at T1 shortly after beginning treatment and at T2 6 months later. The primary outcome criterion was their quality of life using the OSTQOL. Secondary criteria included retention rate, their mental and physical health (measured by the BSI-18 and the OTI Health Scale), social situation, drug use, COVID-19 status, and satisfaction with treatment.ResultsOut of 84 patients included in the study, 51 participated in both assessments, resulting in a 6-month retention rate of 60.7%. 27.5% were females, and 72.5% were males. The feasibility question of the low-threshold OST clinic can clearly be answered positively. During the course of the study over 6 months, the situation mainly remained stable regarding quality of life, physical and mental health, and days of drug consumption. Patients significantly reduced the time they spent on the drug scene from 8.5 (SD = 7.56) to 6.1 (SD = 6.71) hours a day between the beginning of OST and T2 (p = 0.020). While 56.9% answered to be homeless at the beginning of OST, only 33.3% answered not to have found an accommodation by T2 (p = 0.012). The number of patients having contact to social workers increased from 51.0% to 74.5% (p = 0.004). Almost 2 fifths of the patients took part in PCR testing for COVID-19 (that only being done if they had symptoms), and none of the tests were positive.Discussion/conclusionsOverall, the low-threshold OST clinic has been successfully implemented in order to help a vulnerable group of people navigate through a global pandemic and support the public health sector. Further conclusions on effects are limited by the short study period and the small number of patients, which calls for further research studies in a larger setting.

Project description:PurposeDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, many radiation oncology departments worldwide adopted the use of shorter and more intense hypofractionated regimens. Hospital foot traffic was reduced through virtual care. This study's primary objective was to assess the collective environmental effect of these strategic changes by identifying sources of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e). The rate of radiation-related adverse events from the increased use of hypofractionated treatments was assessed.Methods and materialsAll patients treated with external beam radiation therapy from April 1, 2019, to March 31, 2021, at our single institution were identified (n = 10,175) along with their radiation therapy visits (176,423 fractions) and unplanned visits to the radiation nursing clinic or emergency department. Out-patient hospital and virtual visits (n = 75,853) during this same period were also analyzed. Environmental effect measures, including linear accelerator power usage, patient travel distances, and personal protection equipment consumption were all converted into CO2e.ResultsThe use of curative hypofractionated regimens increased from 17% to 27% during the pandemic year. Carbon footprint was reduced by 39% during the pandemic year (1,332,388 kg CO2e) compared with the prepandemic year (2,024,823 kg CO2e). Comparing patients in the prepandemic versus pandemic year, there was a significant reduction in the proportion of hypofractionated patients who needed a visit to either the radiation nursing clinic (39% vs 25%; P < .001) or emergency department (6% vs 2%; P < .001) during and within 90 days of radiation therapy.ConclusionsThis is the first study to demonstrate the environmental benefits of increased use of hypofractionated regimens and virtual care, while assuring that there was no added acute radiation-related adverse event. Our findings support their continued use as one of many long-term strategies to reduce the environmental footprint of health care delivery.

Dataset Information

Short- and Medium-Term Effects of Ageism on Loneliness Experienced During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Publications

Short- and Medium-Term Effects of Ageism on Loneliness Experienced During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

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