ArticleFrontiers in public health2020
Combatting Social Isolation Among Older Adults in a Time of Physical Distancing: The COVID-19 Social Connectivity Paradox.
Article in Frontiers in public health, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 117 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
117 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Older adults' experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative systematic literature review.BMC geriatrics · 2023Pooled it
- The relationship between mindfulness, anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic: A meta-analysis of correlational studies.Frontiers in psychology · 2023Pooled it
- Effects of Objective and Perceived Social Isolation on Cardiovascular and Brain Health: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.Journal of the American Heart Association · 2022Pooled it
- Quality over quantity - rethinking social participation in dementia prevention: results from the AgeWell.de trial.Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology · 2026Trial
- Problem-solving training to improve caregiver burden and depressive symptoms among dementia caregivers: personal and clinical factors of responders vs. non-responders.Frontiers in public health · 2025Trial
- Article
- Digital Divide Among U.S. Adults with and without Cancer: Prevalence and Associated Factors.Journal of cancer education : the official journal of the American Association for Cancer Education · 2026Article
- Community stakeholders' perspectives on supporting the well-being of older adults: a focus group study on lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic.BMC public health · 2026Article
- Symptom Severity Profiles and their Associated Factors in Minoritized Men with Chronic Conditions.Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities · 2026Article
- Teahouses as community third places: a grounded theory study of community-based health intervention for mental health promotion among urban older adults in China.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Technology and Inpatient Care: Addressing Communication Barriers and Social Isolation.Journal of patient experience · 2026Article
- Emotional Experiences of the Home-Dwelling Older Adults During the Isolation of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic: A Qualitative Systematic Review.Health science reports · 2025Review
- Article
- Exploring Acceptance of Digital Health Technologies for Managing Non-Communicable Diseases Among Older Adults: A Systematic Scoping Review.Journal of medical systems · 2025Article
- Understanding Loneliness in Older Adults During the Pandemic: Predictors and Questionnaire Validation.Diseases (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Factors related to social disconnectedness among older unpaid caregivers.Frontiers in public health · 2025Article
- Associations of depressive symptoms, social engagement and support, and lifestyle behaviors among non-Hispanic black and Hispanic men with chronic conditions in the United States.Frontiers in public health · 2025Article
- Loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic: A potential risk factor for post-pandemic cognitive decline in older adults without dementia.Dementia & neuropsychologia · 2025Review
- Subjective executive functioning and skill learning during the COVID-19 pandemic associated with perceived loneliness, depressive symptoms, and well-being.PLOS mental health · 2025Article
- Article
57 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Social isolation is an important public health issue that has gained recognition during the COVID-19 pandemic because of the risks posed to older adults based on physical distancing. The primary purposes of this article are to provide an overview of the complex interconnectedness between social isolation, loneliness, and depression while introducing the COVID-19 Connectivity Paradox, a new concept used to describe the conflicting risk/harm continuum resulting from recommended physical distancing. In this context, examples will be provided for practical and feasible community-based models to improve social connectivity during COVID-19 by adjusting the processes and modalities used to deliver programs and services to older adults through the aging social services network. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for clinical and community-based organizations to unite and form inter-sectorial partnerships to maintain the provision of services and programs for engaging and supporting older adults during this difficult time of physical distancing and shelter-in-place and stay-at-home orders. The aging social services network provides a vital infrastructure for reaching older underserved and/or marginalized persons across the U.S. to reduce social isolation. Capitalizing on existing practices in the field, older adults can achieve distanced connectivity to mitigate social isolation risk while remaining at safe physical distances from others.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.