@article {12167, title = {Lonely older adults are more likely to delay or avoid medical care during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.}, journal = {International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry}, volume = {37}, year = {2022}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVES: To examine the relationship between loneliness and self-reported delay or avoidance of medical care among community-dwelling older adults during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

METHODS: Analyses of data from a nationally representative survey administered in June of 2020, in COVID-19 module of the Health and Retirement Study. Bivariate and multivariable analyses determined associations of loneliness with the likelihood of, reasons for, and types of care delay or avoidance.

RESULTS: The rate of care delay or avoidance since March of 2020 was 29.1\% among all respondents (n~=~1997), and 10.1\% higher for lonely (n~=~1,150\%, 57.6\%) versus non-lonely respondents (33.5\% vs. 23.4\%; odds ratio~=~1.59, p~=~0.003 after covariate adjustment). The differences were considerably larger among several subgroups such as those with emotional/psychiatric problems. Lonely older adults were more likely to cite "Decided it could wait," "Was afraid to go," and "Couldn{\textquoteright}t afford it" as reasons for delayed or avoided care. Both groups reported dental care and doctor{\textquoteright}s visit as the two most common care delayed or avoided.

CONCLUSIONS: Loneliness is associated with a higher likelihood of delaying or avoiding medical care among older adults during the pandemic.

}, keywords = {Aged, COVID-19, Humans, Independent Living, Loneliness, Pandemics, SARS-CoV-2}, issn = {1099-1166}, doi = {10.1002/gps.5694}, author = {Li, Yue and Cheng, Zijing and Cai, Xueya and Holloway, Melissa and Maeng, Daniel and Simning, Adam} }