Impacts of Social Isolation on the Physical and Mental Health of Older Adults During Quarantine: A Systematic Review

ABSTRACT

Objectives

To systematically review articles that reported the impacts of social isolation on the physical and mental health of healthy older adults during the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) quarantine.

Methods

Electronic search was performed in PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, and BIREME databases. It included cohort and cross-sectional studies published between January 2020 and January 2022 which evaluated the impacts of social isolation on the physical and mental health of older adults during quarantine. The study was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021269720).

Results

Out of 8,505 studies identified, 17 met the inclusion criteria, with moderate to excellent quality. The majority of the older population perceived changes in their physical and mental health. Impacts differed in cohorts according to sex, age group, income, social participation, exercising before and during confinement, and living alone or with other people.

Conclusions

The long period of social isolation dictated by the COVID-19 pandemic caused changes in most older adults`, reducing levels of physical activity and/or generating depression, anxiety, fear, and mood problems. Follow-up studies are necessary to observe the evolution of these impacts.

Clinical implications

Public policies must be developed to promote the emotional and physical health of the older adult population in the post-pandemic period.

KEYWORDS:

• Older adults
• COVID-19
• SARS-Cov-2
• physical health
• mental health

Clinical implications

• In the short term and worldwide, the social isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected the physical and mental health of the older adult population. Potential long-term impacts are expected.

• The findings suggest that politicians, health professionals, researchers, and students get involved in the production of strategies (support networks) and knowledge that allow the older population to face the challenges associated with social isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

Data supporting the findings of this study are available in the article in its supplementary materials.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/07317115.2022.2141166.

Additional information

Funding

We acknowledge the support of the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) of Brazil, and the Scientific Initiation Program (PIBIC) of the Federal University of Vale do São Francisco (UNIVASF) for funding a scholarship for one student (HRSN) for twelve months.