Prior Social Contact and Mental Health Trajectories during COVID-19: Neighborhood Friendship Protects Vulnerable Older Adults

Abstract

Social networking protects mental health during a crisis. Prior contact with social organizations, friends, and non-friend neighbors may be associated with better trajectories of loneliness, depression and subjective memory during COVID-19. Regression analysis was conducted using longitudinal data from a representative sample of n = 3105 US adults aged ≥55 in April–October 2020. Latent profile analysis was also conducted. Prior contact with friends (B = −0.075, p < 0.001), neighbors (B = −0.048, p = 0.007), and social organizations (B = −0.073, p < 0.001) predicted for better mental health during COVID-19. Three profiles were identified: Profile 1 had the best outcomes, with prior contact with social organizations (B = −0.052, p = 0.044) predicting decreasing loneliness. For Profile 2, prior ‘meeting’ contact with friends predicted decreasing loneliness (B = −0.075, p < 0.001) and better subjective memory (B = −0.130, p = 0.011). Conversely, prior contact with neighbors (B = −0.165, p = 0.010) predicted worsening loneliness among Profile 3. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a differential impact on the mental health trajectories of aging adults with social ties of different strengths. Stronger neighborhood networks are important to mitigate poor mental health outcomes among vulnerable older adults during a crisis. Older adults who are living alone and had relied on non-friend neighbors for social connectedness require additional community supports. Policy interventions are required to mitigate the mental health impact of future pandemics.

Prior psychosocial profile and perceived impact of the COVID-19 pandemic: insights from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging

“…Our findings add to recent observations on the relevance of strong prior social networks, as well as current social support and mindfulness for protection of mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic period [ 16 , 17 ]. Consistent with other work, which found psychosocial characteristics such as personal mastery and other resource measures negatively correlated with pandemic related psychological burden in all adults [ 18 ], vulnerable adults [ 19 ], and older adults [ 20 ], BLSA participants with more personal resources including awareness of their need for social support and high personal mastery tended to report pandemic impacts incorporating positive perspectives.…”

Neighborhood Makes or Breaks Active Ageing? Findings from Cross-Sectional Path Analysis

“…Mental health benefits from the neighborhood may remain accessible only to those who already had well-established neighborhood friendship before the COVID-19 pandemic [ 29 , 59 ]. Community-dwelling older adults in isolation may require innovative ways to compensate for the losses of communal living that once provided emotional support [ 60 , 61 ].…”

“…Low neighborhood cohesion and poor friendships are associated with depressive symptoms [ 27 ]. Neighborhood friendship has a positive impact on one’s wellbeing [ 28 , 29 ]. Various built environment attributes have been found to affect mental wellbeing through social cohesion and neighborhood quality [ 11 ].…”

Impact of COVID-19 Measures on Discharge Planning and Continuity of Integrated Care in the Community for Older Patients in Singapore

“…Empowering patients to better navigate access to services as well as garnering support from the neighbours and community partners to enable shared responsibility of patient care could also improve continuity of care in the community as suggested by our participants. Stronger neighbourhood networks are found to mitigate poor health outcomes for vulnerable older patients in the community during the lockdown [26]. Therefore, it would be important to strengthen neighbourhood communities to ensure the wellbeing of older patients discharged to the community.…”