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There might be an association between Internet addiction (IA) and loneliness; however, inconsistent evidence suggests that the severity of this association remains unclear. This study was conducted to assess the association between IA and loneliness. A systematic literature search was conducted in four online databases, including PubMed (MESH terms), Web of Science, Scopus, and Embase. Observational studies measuring the association between IA and loneliness were screened and included in this review. A meta-analysis was conducted using the Stata software. Twenty-six articles with a total sample size of 16496 subjects were included in the analysis. A moderate positive association (r = 0.15 (95% CI: 0.13, 0.16)) was found between IA and loneliness. The individuals with IA had significantly higher scores of loneliness. According to this meta-analysis, we need more attention to the early symptoms of loneliness in individuals with IA. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine the temporality of this association considering adjustment for time varying confounders.

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We aimed to investigate COVID‐19 case fatality rate (CFR), mortality, and screening in the older population of East Azerbaijan Province. We conducted a population‐based registry study from Death Registration System in the elderly population (N = 433 445) from the outbreak that emerged up to May 30, 2021 (before vaccination). We analyzed CFR and mortality rates due to COVID‐19 as well as the case findings and characteristics in the elderly population. Logistic regression analysis was carried out for the association between COVID‐19 mortality and effective factors. During the study, the province had 18 079 confirmed cases and 4390 deaths. The male to female CFR risk ratio was 3.2. The overall CFR and mortality rates were 24% and 1%, respectively. CFR and mortality ranged from 9.56% to 0.37% in the 60–64 age group to 70% and 2.6% in the age group ≥85 years, respectively. We found a significant trend in CFR and mortality of COVID‐19 with advanced age. Male sex, advanced age, marital status, and living alone were associated with an increased risk of COVID‐19 fatality. COVID‐19 mortality measures were higher in the older population of this province. Advanced treatment supports and interventions are needed to reduce mortality rates of COVID‐19 in the elderly population.

Background: The rate of elder abuse has been increasing worldwide. This study aimed at identifying the group of elders susceptible to abuse and determining the influential factors of elder abuse. Methods: A total of 683 elders, living in rural and urban areas of Qazvin (Iran), participated in this cross- sectional study that was conducted during September to December 2015. They were selected by stratified multistage random sampling method and filled in a standard questionnaire (H-S/EAST). Multiple logistic regression models were used for data analysis in Microsoft SPSS v.18. Type 1 error was considered equal to 0.05. Results: The average age of participants was 68.5±7.6. Also, the prevalence of elder abuse in this study was 38.5 (95% CI: 3.34- 42.3). After eliminating the confounders and applying multiple regression analysis, we found a significant association between elder abuse and factors such as education level (OR= 2.003, 95% CI: 1.177-3.409), residence (OR= 3.53, 95% CI: 1.969-6.324), and age (OR= 0.963, 95% CI: 0.931-0.995). Conclusion: The results of this study indicated a high prevalence of elder abuse in the studied population. By identifying high-risk individuals for elder abuse and planning to improve their quality of life, we will be able to successfully overcome this issue.