Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Aging
Date Submitted: Dec 16, 2020
Date Accepted: Mar 10, 2021
Date Submitted to PubMed: Mar 16, 2021
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
Impact of COVID-19 on Older Adults: A Rapid Review
ABSTRACT
Background:
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused drastic changes in the lives of the general population. Older adults are known to experience loneliness, age discrimination, and excessive worrying. It was therefore apprehended that they would experience greater negative outcomes related to the COVID-19 pandemic given their increased isolation and risks of complications.
Objective:
This paper aims to synthesize the existing research regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and associated isolation and protective measures, on older adults.
Methods:
A rapid review of the published literature was conducted on October 6, 2020, through a search in six online databases to synthesize results from published original studies regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on older adults. The Human Development Model conceptual framework – Disability Creation Process (HDM-DCP) was used to describe and understand interactions between personal factors, environmental factors, and life habits. Methods and results are reported following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Statement.
Results:
116 records were included from the initial search strategy of 9,593 individual papers. Ninety-six of 116 studies were determined to be level 4 according to the CEBM levels of evidence. The presence of psychological symptoms, the exacerbation of ageism, and the physical deterioration of aged populations have been noted. Decreased social life and fewer in-person social interactions reported during the pandemic were occasionally associated with reduced quality of life and increased depression. Difficulties accessing services, sleep disturbances and a reduction of physical activity were also noted.
Conclusions:
Our results highlight the need for adequate isolation and protective measures. Older adults represent a heterogeneous group, which could explain the contradictory results found in the literature. Individual, organizational and institutional strategies should be put in place to assure that older adults are able to maintain social contacts, preserve family ties, and maintain the ability to give or receive help during this pandemic. Future studies should focus on specific consequences and needs of more at-risk older adults to ensure their inclusion, both in public health recommendations and consideration by policy makers. Clinical Trial: PROSPERO ID: CRD42020201814
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Copyright
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