Risk of COVID-19 exposure and more severe illness are serious concerns for older adults. Social distancing has worsened existing social isolation, with severe impacts on connectedness among seniors. The pandemic is threatening to cause an extended health crisis, with impacts including serious health consequences. Our primary purpose is to summarize emerging research describing the impacts of the pandemic on social isolation among older adults. A streamlined search was conducted to fit the scope of this literature review. Common research databases and mainstream resources and websites were utilized to identify research published or released in 2020 to align with the pandemic. Early research indicates that the pandemic has worsened social isolation among older adults. Social isolation has become urgent, as seniors have lost their usual connections due to social distancing. While safety measures are critical to prevent virus exposure, this approach must be balanced with maintaining social connectedness. The pandemic highlights the importance of social connections, with significant impacts on both community-living older adults and those in nursing facilities. Safety protocols have created a paradox of reduced risk along with greater harm. Consequently, adapted approaches are urgently needed to address the consequences of a long-term social recession.
Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) are defined as the broad community-scale conditions and factors shaping daily life. Meanwhile, less is known about the personal, individual-level characteristics impacting health outcomes. These have not been defined as a construct, leaving a gap in overall understanding of the resources that shape healthy and successful aging. Our primary purpose is to propose and define a new construct encompassing critical personal resources to be known as the Personal Determinants of Health (PDOH), built on resilience as a key strength later in life and supported by factors that buffer challenges and declining health. A literature search was conducted to streamline the scope of this review, with key terms determined to identify relevant publications; common databases and resources were utilized. Search strategies failed to identify a standard definition for Personal Determinants of Health as a construct, nor does this term exist regarding applied initiatives with older adults. Thus, a clear opportunity exists to establish PDOH as a unique construct. Despite evidence that individual characteristics impact late-life health outcomes, these key personal resources have not been established as a separate construct. Thus, we propose to define PDOH with a foundation of resilience supported by selected personal resources. Establishing this new construct will be critical in designing initiatives to support older adults and improve their health outcomes.
Background: Social Determinants of Health, an established concept widely used in research initiatives and policy planning, are generally defined as the broad community-scale conditions shaping daily life. Meanwhile, much less is known about the positive personal, individual resources impacting health outcomes. These have not been defined as part of a separate health-related model, leaving a gap in overall understanding of the non-clinical resources that shape successful aging and quality of life. Objective: The primary purpose of this commentary is to propose and define a new concept encompassing critical personal resources to be known as the Personal Determinants of Health (PDOH), built on resilience as a key strength and supported by important factors that have shown to help buffer late-life challenges. Methods: To inform and support this commentary, we conducted a search of relevant research topics to determine whether critical personal resources impacting health outcomes have been defined in the research or mainstream literature. Results: Notably, we failed to identify any standard definition for Personal Determinants of Health, nor does this term exist in applied interventions. Thus, Personal Determinants of Health is a unique concept that will be centered on key personal resources including resilience at its core. Conclusions: A clear opportunity exists to define the Personal Determinants of Health as a new psychosocial and behavioral concept impacting health outcomes, and subsequently to help inform and develop initiatives to improve overall health and quality of life, especially in the later-life years.
Background: Social Determinants of Health, an established concept widely used in research initiatives and policy planning, are generally defined as the broad community-scale conditions shaping daily life. Meanwhile, much less is known about the positive personal, individual resources impacting health outcomes. These have not been defined as part of a separate health-related model, leaving a gap in overall understanding of the non-clinical resources that shape successful aging and quality of life. Objective: The primary purpose of this commentary is to propose and define a new concept encompassing critical personal resources to be known as the Personal Determinants of Health (PDOH), built on resilience as a key strength and supported by important factors that have shown to help buffer late-life challenges. Methods: To inform and support this commentary, we conducted a search of relevant research topics to determine whether critical personal resources impacting health outcomes have been defined in the research or mainstream literature. Results: Notably, we failed to identify any standard definition for Personal Determinants of Health, nor does this term exist in applied interventions. Thus, Personal Determinants of Health is a unique concept that will be centered on key personal resources including resilience at its core. Conclusions: A clear opportunity exists to define the Personal Determinants of Health as a new psychosocial and behavioral concept impacting health outcomes, and subsequently to help inform and develop initiatives to improve overall health and quality of life, especially in the later-life years.
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