Social Connectedness Among Medicare Beneficiaries Following the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Social distancing is an effective strategy to limit contagion and mortality from the COVID-19 pandemic. However, these measures may also decrease perceived social connectedness and conversely increase social isolation, states which are associated with psychologic and physiologic morbidity. [1][2][3][4][5] Patients who are elderly or have disabilities are particularly encouraged to practice social distancing given their higher risk of severe COVID-19 infection, but they also have a higher baseline risk for reporting social isolation. 5,6 We hypothesized that the pandemic and social distancing measures have negatively affected perceptions of social connectedness among these high-risk patients.Methods | The Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey is an inperson, nationally representative survey of Medicare beneficiaries that is sponsored by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. We used the COVID-19 Summer 2020 Supplement data collected from June 10, 2020, to July 15, 2020. The institutional review board of Yale University approved the study and granted a waiver of informed consent because of the use of publicly available, deidentified data. The study cohort consisted of 9634 respondents who represented a weighted 50 851 437 community-dwelling beneficiaries who reported on changes in social connectivity during the pandemic (eMethods

COVID-19 exit strategy during vaccine implementation: a balance between social distancing and herd immunity

“…Another report demonstrated a significant association between social isolation and mortality, with the increased death rate in adults reaching up to 35% compared to those receiving social support, even after excluding important disease risk factors [ 54 ]. Moreover, the lack of social connectedness has negatively affected vulnerable groups, such as individuals with chronic illnesses (especially cancer) and those without internet or technology access [ 55 ], more than the rest of the population.…”

Association between changes in loneliness identified through screening and changes in depression or anxiety in older adults

“…The end date of the study was chosen to assure that follow-up through December 2019 was completed before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, so that we could assess the relationship between loneliness and study outcomes independent of the increase in loneliness that has occurred during the pandemic. [12][13][14] We identified all KPCO members who completed multiple MTHAs and used data from their two most recent surveys within a 6-18-month period. We excluded members who did not have 12 months of continuous KPCO membership prior to their first MTHA or 12 months of continuous membership after their second MTHA.…”

Supporting Social Connectedness of Older Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Small and Rural Public Libraries

“…Liotta et al (2020) found that socially connected Italian older adults were better protected from the virus than their socially disconnected peers. Another study found that U.S. Medicare recipients who practiced socially distancing were more likely to report feeling socially isolated (Talcott et al 2021). Community elders who were sexual and gender minorities, lived by themselves, or did not have a partner (Steinman et al 2020), were found to be especially vulnerable.…”