Comparing Social Isolation in Older Adults With and Without Physical Health Challenges During COVID-19: Church and Church Friends Matter
Older adults were disproportionately affected by COVID-19. The purpose of this study was to explore experiences of sudden-onset social isolation and factors that influenced it among older adults. A qualitative thematic study with a survey component was conducted comparing 18 older adults in two grou...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SAGE Publishing
2024-10-01
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| Series: | Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/00469580241273277 |
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| author | Tina R. Kilaberia PhD, MSW Yuanyuan Hu PhD, MSW Edward R. Ratner MD Janice F. Bell PhD, MPH, MN |
| author_facet | Tina R. Kilaberia PhD, MSW Yuanyuan Hu PhD, MSW Edward R. Ratner MD Janice F. Bell PhD, MPH, MN |
| author_sort | Tina R. Kilaberia PhD, MSW |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Older adults were disproportionately affected by COVID-19. The purpose of this study was to explore experiences of sudden-onset social isolation and factors that influenced it among older adults. A qualitative thematic study with a survey component was conducted comparing 18 older adults in two groups: 12 reporting physical health challenges and 6 reporting no physical health challenges. Three qualitative themes describe experiences of (a) avoiding risk to personal health as the reason to postpone healthcare, (b) grieving church and church friends as a lost social connection, and (c) compound stress due to converging factors related to personal health, public health, racial justice movement and critical national events. Those with physical health challenges were less able to postpone seeking healthcare, suffered from compound stress, and were more likely to feel isolated when unable to participate in church activities. Religious, faith, or spiritual supports may be important buffers against social isolation during public health emergencies, especially for older adults with physical health challenges and when there is concurrent social unrest. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-109e735889d6446d93741f87a64574ea |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 0046-9580 1945-7243 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing |
| spelling | doaj-art-109e735889d6446d93741f87a64574ea2025-08-20T02:13:11ZengSAGE PublishingInquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing0046-95801945-72432024-10-016110.1177/00469580241273277Comparing Social Isolation in Older Adults With and Without Physical Health Challenges During COVID-19: Church and Church Friends MatterTina R. Kilaberia PhD, MSW0Yuanyuan Hu PhD, MSW1Edward R. Ratner MD2Janice F. Bell PhD, MPH, MN3New York University Silver School of Social Work, New York, NY, USANew York University Silver School of Social Work, New York, NY, USAMinneapolis Veterans Administration Health Care System Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC), Minneapolis, MN, USABetty Irene Moore School of Nursing, University of California Davis Health, Sacramento, CA, USAOlder adults were disproportionately affected by COVID-19. The purpose of this study was to explore experiences of sudden-onset social isolation and factors that influenced it among older adults. A qualitative thematic study with a survey component was conducted comparing 18 older adults in two groups: 12 reporting physical health challenges and 6 reporting no physical health challenges. Three qualitative themes describe experiences of (a) avoiding risk to personal health as the reason to postpone healthcare, (b) grieving church and church friends as a lost social connection, and (c) compound stress due to converging factors related to personal health, public health, racial justice movement and critical national events. Those with physical health challenges were less able to postpone seeking healthcare, suffered from compound stress, and were more likely to feel isolated when unable to participate in church activities. Religious, faith, or spiritual supports may be important buffers against social isolation during public health emergencies, especially for older adults with physical health challenges and when there is concurrent social unrest.https://doi.org/10.1177/00469580241273277 |
| spellingShingle | Tina R. Kilaberia PhD, MSW Yuanyuan Hu PhD, MSW Edward R. Ratner MD Janice F. Bell PhD, MPH, MN Comparing Social Isolation in Older Adults With and Without Physical Health Challenges During COVID-19: Church and Church Friends Matter Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing |
| title | Comparing Social Isolation in Older Adults With and Without Physical Health Challenges During COVID-19: Church and Church Friends Matter |
| title_full | Comparing Social Isolation in Older Adults With and Without Physical Health Challenges During COVID-19: Church and Church Friends Matter |
| title_fullStr | Comparing Social Isolation in Older Adults With and Without Physical Health Challenges During COVID-19: Church and Church Friends Matter |
| title_full_unstemmed | Comparing Social Isolation in Older Adults With and Without Physical Health Challenges During COVID-19: Church and Church Friends Matter |
| title_short | Comparing Social Isolation in Older Adults With and Without Physical Health Challenges During COVID-19: Church and Church Friends Matter |
| title_sort | comparing social isolation in older adults with and without physical health challenges during covid 19 church and church friends matter |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/00469580241273277 |
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