Short-Term Impact of Social Distancing Measures During the COVID-19 Pandemic on Cognitive Function and Health Perception of Brazilian Older Adults: A Pre-Post Study.

Autor: Almeida PHTQ; Boston University, MA, USA.; University of Western Ontario, London, Canada., Bernardo LD; Instituto Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil., Pontes TB; Boston University, MA, USA.; Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil., Davis JA; University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada., Deodoro TMS; Instituto Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil., Ferreira RG; Instituto Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil., Souza KI; Instituto Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil., MacDermid JC; University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Journal of applied gerontology : the official journal of the Southern Gerontological Society [J Appl Gerontol] 2021 Sep; Vol. 40 (9), pp. 934-942. Date of Electronic Publication: 2021 May 26.
DOI: 10.1177/07334648211015458
Abstrakt: Social distancing, a critical measure to manage COVID-19 transmission, is consistently associated with social isolation, a major health issue. Social isolation negatively impacts mental and physical health, particularly among older adults. A pre-post comparison study examined changes in cognitive function and perceived health among 36 community-dwelling Brazilian older adults, assessed pre and post social distancing measures enacted due to COVID-19. A significant increase in cognitive function was found 1 month into social distancing ( M = 16.3, p = .002, power = 0.88), with declining scores for vitality ( M = -29.3, p < .001, power = 0.99) and mental health ( M = -38.1, p < .001, power = 0.99), particularly among participants who lived alone ( t = -3.8, p = .001). Older adults exhibit rapid changes in perceived health when excluded from participation in social activities. Health care professionals should consider holistic approaches when addressing the impacts of social isolation on this population.
Databáze: MEDLINE