PROTOCOL: Digital interventions to reduce social isolation and loneliness in older adults: An evidence and gap map

Welch, Vivian; Ghogomu, Elizabeth Tanjong; Barbeau, Victoria; Boulton, Elisabeth; Boutin, Sabrina; Haitas, Niobe; Kneale, Dylan; Salzwedel, Douglas M; Simard, Roger; Herbert, Paul; Mikton, Christopher

doi:10.1002/cl2.1260

Cited by 12 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 54 publications

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“…This is in line with our results that suggest that Internet use may improve social isolation and loneliness. A recently published evidence and gap map documented the many intervention categories used in digital interventions (Campbell Collaboration; Welch et al, 2022 ). This review again documented the lack of equity considerations in this field of study.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effectiveness of interventions to address different types of vulnerabilities in community‐dwelling older adults: An umbrella review

Adekpedjou

Léon

Dewidar

et al. 2023

Campbell Systematic Reviews

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Background Frailty, social isolation, loneliness, and poverty may render older adults vulnerable to social or health stressors. It is imperative to identify effective interventions to address them especially in the context of COVID‐19 pandemic. Objective To identify effective community‐based interventions to address frailty, social isolation, loneliness, and poverty among community‐dwelling older adults. Design Umbrella review. Data Source We systematically searched PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, EBM‐Reviews, CINAHL via EBSCO, and APA PsycInfo via Ovid from January 2009 to December 2022. Eligibility Criteria We included systematic reviews or quantitative reviews of non‐pharmacologic interventions targeting community‐dwelling older adults. Data Selection, Extraction, and Management Two review authors independently screened the titles and abstracts, performed data extraction and appraised the methodological quality of the reviews. We used a narrative synthesis approach to summarize and interpret the findings. We assessed the methodological quality of the studies using AMSTAR 2.0 tool. Results We identified 27 reviews incorporating 372 unique primary studies that met our inclusion criteria. Ten of the reviews included studies conducted in low‐middle‐income countries. Twelve reviews (46%, 12/26) included interventions that addressed frailty. Seventeen reviews (65%, 17/26) included interventions that addressed either social isolation or loneliness. Eighteen reviews included studies with single component interventions, while 23 reviews included studies with multi‐component interventions. Interventions including protein supplementation combined with physical activity may improve outcomes including frailty status, grip strength, and body weight. Physical activity alone or in combination with diet may prevent frailty. Additionally, physical activity may improve social functioning and interventions using digital technologies may decrease social isolation and loneliness. We did not find any review of interventions addressing poverty among older adults. We also noted that few reviews addressed multiple vulnerabilities within the same study, specifically addressed vulnerability among ethnic and sexual minority groups, or examined interventions that engaged communities and adapted programs to local needs. Conclusion Evidence from reviews support diets, physical activity, and digital technologies to improve frailty, social isolation or loneliness. However, interventions examined were primarily conducted under optimal conditions. There is a need for further interventions in community settings and conducted under real world settings in older adults living with multiple vulnerabilities.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effectiveness of interventions to address different types of vulnerabilities in community‐dwelling older adults: An umbrella review

Adekpedjou

Léon

Dewidar

et al. 2023

Campbell Systematic Reviews

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“…In the development of effective Internet-based services, the importance of understanding the related but distinct concepts of social isolation (objective state) and loneliness (subjective state) has been highlighted. 11 Determining what Internet-based services and content may best suit these two groups would benefit from further investigation. Furthermore, we encourage future research to use a co-design approach, involving both older adults and service providers, in developing appropriate Internet-based services T A B L E 1 Themes derived from qualitative responses regarding Internet-based mental health and well-being services of interest to older Australian adults.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The theme of socialisation closely aligned with the participants' interest in services that offered a means of communication and connection, along with information on how to deal with loneliness and building new social connections. In the development of effective Internet‐based services, the importance of understanding the related but distinct concepts of social isolation (objective state) and loneliness (subjective state) has been highlighted 11 . Determining what Internet‐based services and content may best suit these two groups would benefit from further investigation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Older adults' preferences for Internet‐based services: Type and content

et al. 2023

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Objective(s)The aim of this paper was to report on qualitative survey responses provided by older Australian adults regarding their preferences for Internet‐based services and content.MethodsTwo qualitative questions (‘What type of Internet‐based mental health and well‐being (1) services, and (2) content would be of most interest to you?’) from a broader survey investigating the mental and physical health of older Australians were thematically analysed for commonly occurring themes. Eighty‐nine participants aged 65 years or older (mean age = 71 years, SD = 5.30) responded to at least one qualitative question. Participants were primarily female (60%, n = 53), born in Australia (65%, n = 58), in a relationship (58%, n = 52), living in the community (79%, n = 70) and relatively well educated, with the majority having completed a university degree (38%, n = 34).ResultsThemes indicated that participants were most interested in Facebook‐style services (n = 17), chat groups (n = 16) and email‐based services (n = 4) designed specifically for older adults (n = 14). However, some concerns were raised regarding the trustworthiness of Internet‐based services, with the largest proportion of participants (n = 22) noting that they were unlikely to use Internet‐ or social media‐based services. The primary content‐related themes were mental fitness (n = 34), grief and loss (n = 20), health information (n = 13), socialisation (n = 11) and physical fitness (n = 10).ConclusionsParticipants indicated interest in tailor‐made Facebook‐style services for older adults that allow them to communicate with their peers and create new social networks and incorporate content relating to strategies for working on mental and physical fitness, information on coping with grief and loss, as well as health information. These findings can be used by organisations to develop Internet‐based services and content for older Australian adults.

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“… 11 Virtual communities of support groups refer to online platforms where individuals with shared experiences, challenges, or interests come together to provide mutual support, share information, and foster a sense of community. 12 …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Barriers and facilitators to acceptance and implementation of eMental-health intervention among older adults: A qualitative systematic review

Peng,

Li,

Guo

et al. 2024

DIGITAL HEALTH

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Objective Electronic mental health interventions are effective but not well promoted currently among older adults. This study sought to systematically review and summarize the barriers and facilitators of accepting and implementing electronic mental health interventions among older adults. Methods We comprehensively retrieved six electronic databases from January 2012 to September 2022: PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, PsycINFO, and CINAHL. The JBI-QARI was used to assess the quality of the research methodology of each publication. Eligible studies underwent data coding and synthesis aligned to inductive and deductive methods. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research 2.0 was used as a deductive framework to guide a more structured analysis. Results The systematic review screened 4309 articles, 17 of which were included (eight with mixed methods and nine with qualitative methods). We identified and extracted the barriers and facilitators of accepting and implementing electronic mental health interventions among older adults: (1) innovation: technology challenges, optimized functions, and contents, security and privacy; (2) outer setting: community engagement and partnerships, financing; (3) inner setting: leadership engagement, available resources, incompatibility, intergenerational support, training and guidance; (4) individuals: perceptions, capability, motivation of older adults and healthcare providers; and (5) implementation process: recruit, external assistance, and team. Conclusion These findings are critical to optimizing, promoting, and expanding electronic mental health interventions among older adults. The systematic review also provides a reference for better evidence-based implementation strategies in the future.

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PROTOCOL: Digital interventions to reduce social isolation and loneliness in older adults: An evidence and gap map

Abstract: This is the protocol for a Campbell systematic review. The objectives are as follows: the aim is to map available evidence on the effects of digital interventions to mitigate social isolation and/or loneliness in older adults in all settings except hospital settings.

Cited by 12 publications

References 54 publications

Effectiveness of interventions to address different types of vulnerabilities in community‐dwelling older adults: An umbrella review

Effectiveness of interventions to address different types of vulnerabilities in community‐dwelling older adults: An umbrella review

Older adults' preferences for Internet‐based services: Type and content

Barriers and facilitators to acceptance and implementation of eMental-health intervention among older adults: A qualitative systematic review

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