Correlates of Distress and Social Connectedness Among Latinx Older Adults: Examining the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background and Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic grossly impacted the lives of older Latinx populations who already face disparities in accessing and engaging in care for complex health and mental health comorbidities, as well as in managing economic and social challenges. Typical positive experiences with support networks became fractured due to COVID-19 imposed isolation. Limited research from mental health and emergency preparedness literature is available on understanding dimensions of social connectedness and mental distress in how older Latinx populations are impacted by public health emergencies like that of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study aim is to examine correlates with self-reported loneliness, mental health stressors, and social connectedness in a national sample of older Latinx adults during the 2020-2021 year of the pandemic. Methods: Data from round 4 of The National Health and Aging Trends study, a nationally representative longitudinal study of U.S. Medicare recipients 65-years and older, was used with a sub-sample of Latinx adults (n=235). Direct effects of the degree of expressed loneliness related to the pandemic on the relationship with demographics, social relationships, COVID-19 related mental health and financial hardship were examined using stepwise logistic regression. By majority the sample identified as female (57.4%) and between the age of 80-84 years of age (24.7%), with 43.6% using Spanish as a primary language. Results: Analysis revealed increased risk of higher degree of expressed loneliness during the pandemic for Latinx older adults who note English (vs. Spanish) as a primary language (OR=0.296, 95% CI=0.114, 0.768), identify as female (OR= 2.677, 95% CI=1.08, 6.63) and report feeling anxious (OR= 2.12, 95% CI=1.03, 4.34). No direct effects were found with self-reported depression, specific dimensions of social relationships, and experiences with financial strain. Conclusion and Implications: Results suggest the need to emphasize allocation of resources for Latinx communities to manage isolation and stress associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. The multi-faceted impact of the pandemic presents with nuanced dimensions for Latinx older adults who present with anxiousness and loneliness, especially among female Latinx older adults. Promoting understanding of how needs for support may present can better support approaches for screening for care and facilitation of resources as the recovery from the pandemic continues.