The COVID-19 pandemic may intensify loneliness among older adults with chronic conditions who are at high risk of severe illness, but little is known about factors associated with loneliness during the pandemic. We considered factors linked to loneliness among 701 adults aged 50 years and older with chronic conditions from Michigan (82.5%) and 33 other U.S. states. Participants completed an anonymous online survey between May 14 and July 9, 2020. About two thirds (66.4%) reported moderate to severe loneliness. The fully adjusted regression model revealed that being a person of color, having a spouse or cohabiting partner, and more emotional support were associated with lower levels of loneliness. Higher anxiety symptoms, more worry about COVID-19 infection, and more financial strain because of the pandemic were linked to greater loneliness. These findings inform strategies to support a vulnerable subgroup of older adults during this pandemic and in future public health crises.

Objectives The COVID-19 pandemic may contribute to sleep problems among older adults with chronic conditions. We examined factors linked to pandemic-related sleep disturbances in a US sample of adults aged 50 and older with chronic conditions. Design Cross-sectional anonymous online survey between May 14 and July 9, 2020. Setting Michigan (82.3% of participants) and 33 other US states. Participants Total of 705 adults ( M = 64.57 years, SD = 8.82, range = 50–94) who reported at least one chronic condition. Measurements Sociodemographic and health characteristics, physical activity, media use, pandemic-related stress, social resources, and pandemic-related sleep disturbances. Results In the fully adjusted regression models, people who reported more worry about COVID-19 infection, more financial strain, and greater loneliness reported significantly greater pandemic-related sleep disturbances. Conclusions These findings identify factors that may heighten risk of sleep problems since the COVID-19 pandemic in an especially vulnerable subgroup of older adults.

Background and Objectives Older people experience fewer negative interactions and report less stress in response to interpersonal tensions. Less is known, however, about the implications of daily social interactions for biological stress responses. We evaluated links between daily positive and negative interactions and two key biomeasures of the Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal (HPA) axis: salivary cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S). We also considered the moderating effects of age. Research Design and Methods Participants included a random sample of 93 individuals aged 40-95 who completed 14 days of daily diary interviews and provided saliva samples during four of those days. Results Three-level piecewise models showed that individuals had higher sustained DHEA-S levels on days after reporting more positive interactions. Young-old adults (60-79) had lower overall DHEA-S on days when they had more negative interactions than oldest-old adults (80 and older). Oldest-old adults showed a flatter decline in DHEA-S on days after they reported more negative interactions compared to midlife adults (40-59). Daily social interactions were not significantly associated with cortisol. Discussion and Implications Strategies to increase positive interactions may help to build physiological resilience to stress, particularly among midlife and young-old adults.

Social distancing related to the COVID-19 pandemic may heighten loneliness among older adults, especially those with chronic conditions that increase risk for severe illness from the coronavirus. Little is known, however, about potential risk and protective factors linked to loneliness during the pandemic. In the present study, we examined factors associated with loneliness in a U.S. sample of adults aged 50 and older with at least one chronic condition. Participants included 701 adults aged 50 to 94 (M = 64.57 years, SD = 8.84) who were recruited over 8 consecutive weeks between May 14 and July 9, 2020 to complete an anonymous online survey. We estimated a series of multiple linear regressions to determine how sociodemographic characteristics, health characteristics, stress related to COVID-19, and social resources were independently associated with loneliness during the pandemic. Two-thirds of participants reported moderate to severe loneliness. The fully adjusted regression model showed that being a person of color, having a spouse or cohabiting partner, and reporting more emotional support were linked to lower levels of loneliness. Higher anxiety symptoms, more worry about being infected with COVID-19, and greater perceived financial strain because of COVID-19 were associated with higher levels of loneliness. These findings pinpoint potential targets for interventions to improve and maintain the well-being of a particularly vulnerable subgroup of older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic and in future public health crises.