Prioritizing Protecting Oneself Over the COVID-19 Virus Versus Other Health and Social Needs Among Older Adults Living Alone: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Background and Objectives People aged 65 and over, deemed most “vulnerable” by public health, were targeted by the COVID-19 protection measures which sought to minimize physical contact and social activities. Older adults living alone were particularly impacted by these measures. However, such measures meant to protect the older population may not have necessarily reflected older adults’ individual prioritization choices. This study therefore aimed to understand how protecting oneself over the virus was considered in the prioritization of other health and social needs of older adults living alone during the pandemic. Research Design and Methods This study adopted a qualitative design. A total of 17 semi-structured interviews was conducted between May 2021 and June 2022 with older adults living alone. All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. A reflexive thematic analysis as defined by Braun and Clarke (2018, 2019) was performed. Results Our analysis showed two forms of prioritization across two themes. This first theme focused on participants who reported prioritizing protecting themselves over the virus by limiting in-person contact and activities. The second theme showed that although several participants reported that protecting themselves over the virus was important to them, the prioritization of this need was not shared by all and, in some cases, evolved over the course of the pandemic. Discussion and Implications Our study demonstrated heterogeneity in the prioritization of older adults needs. Future public health recommendations should consider these variations in the needs and priorities of older adults when determining public health measures.