Exploring the Access and Use of Social Technologies by Older Adults in Support of Their Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Rapid Review.
Joelle R DesChâteletsAsif R KhowajaKristin MechelseHenriette KoningDominic VentrescaPublished in: Canadian journal on aging = La revue canadienne du vieillissement (2023)
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) lockdowns disproportionately affect older people where most suffer from social isolation and loneliness, which translate into higher rates of depression and anxiety. This study aimed to explore the accessibility, outcomes, and challenges of social technology use among community-dwelling older adults, older adults in long-term care, older adults with neurocognitive disorder, and older adults with pre-frailty and frailty, to help guide future research in this area. A rapid review was conducted, and articles were retrieved from four online databases, including Medline, AgeLine, EconLit and CINAHL, and grey literature from Google Scholar. Of the 131 articles retrieved, 24 were included in this review. The positive outcomes of social technology use include improved mental and physical health, reduced health disparities, and increased autonomy. Adverse outcomes include furthering the digital divide. More research surrounding the economic impacts of social technologies is warranted.
Keyphrases
- mental health
- coronavirus disease
- healthcare
- physical activity
- mental illness
- community dwelling
- public health
- sars cov
- health information
- systematic review
- middle aged
- multiple sclerosis
- metabolic syndrome
- white matter
- social support
- depressive symptoms
- deep learning
- risk assessment
- climate change
- human health
- health insurance
- social media
- quantum dots
- skeletal muscle
- weight loss