Who Got Lonelier during the Covid-19 Pandemic? Evidence from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing

Mengxing Joshi , University of St Andrews
Daniela Weber, Wittgenstein Centre, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Vienna University of Economics and Business
Anne Goujon, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)
Nissa Finney, University of St Andrews
Jo Mhairi Hale, University of St Andrews
Solveig A Cunningham, Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute and Emory University

Disease control measures during the COVID-19 pandemic potentially amplified feelings of loneliness. This study aims to investigate the diverse loneliness experiences of older adults in England during the pandemic and identify risk factor that contribute to, and protective factors that protect them from adverse loneliness outcomes peri-pandemic. This study uses Wave 8 (2016-2017), Wave 9 (2018-2019), COVID Wave 1 (Jun-Jul 2020), and COVID Wave 2 (Nov-Dec 2020) of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. The sample consists of 4,492 individuals aged 50+ and who participated in all four waves. We apply Latent class growth (LCG) analysis to identify distinct trajectories of loneliness. The BCH Bia-adjusted step-3 approach is used to examine the association between the latent class membership and four groups of predictor variables, namely demographic factors, general risk factors, pandemic factors and protective factors. The LCG analysis identified four heterogenous loneliness trajectories: 73.5% stayed not lonely, 12.7% became lonely, 6.9% became not lonely, and 6.8% stayed lonely. Certain subpopulation, including older women, ethnic minority older adults, adults aged 50-74, adults in the poorest group, individuals who were unemployed, and had poor health and depression symptoms, were more likely to transition to loneliness than staying not lonely. Maintaining a positive mindset and having higher partner support protect older adults from the negative impacts of COVID worries and self-isolation. Increased oral communication through phone and video calls protected those who were not lonely before pandemic from becoming lonely during pandemic but did not lift enduring lonely adults to be not lonely.

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 Presented in Session 99. Flash session Loneliness, Pandemic and Care