{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,11,3]],"date-time":"2026-11-03T15:01:25Z","timestamp":1793718085217,"version":"4.6.1"},"reference-count":30,"publisher":"Oxford University Press (OUP)","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,4,11]],"date-time":"2024-04-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1712793600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":10,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Swiss Federal Office of Public Health"},{"name":"Health Promotion Switzerland"},{"name":"University of Zurich and from the Zurich University of Applied Sciences"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2024,4,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Most longitudinal studies found heightened feelings of loneliness in older people in spring 2020 compared to times before the pandemic. However, longer-term effects are more disputed. We, therefore, investigated changes in loneliness in older people throughout the first 21\u00a0months of the COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland and examined the association between the stringency of COVID-19 measures and feelings of loneliness.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>We assessed loneliness (3-item University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) loneliness scale) in a nationally representative longitudinal observational online survey. Older people (65\u201379\u00a0years) were surveyed between March 2020 and December 2021. Proportions of people feeling lonely (UCLA loneliness scale &amp;gt;6) were compared in two stringent phases (\u2018lockdown\u2019, Oxford University stringency index \u226555) and two less restricted phases. Additionally, we explored the situation of potentially more susceptible subgroups (living alone, women, chronic and mental diseases, low educational level and low income).<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Phases with stringent measures were associated with higher levels of loneliness in older people. People living alone, women, people with noncommunicable or mental disease diagnoses and lower income show consistently higher levels of loneliness. However, the differences are not accentuated in phases with more stringent measures. We found little differences between subgroups with varying educational levels.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Even in a country with relatively less stringent COVID-19 measures like Switzerland, an increase in the proportion of older people that feel lonely could be found during phases with more stringent COVID-19 measures. Lockdown phases should, therefore, be accompanied by evidence-based interventions to relieve loneliness to avoid adverse short- and long-term consequences.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1093\/ageing\/afae069","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,27]],"date-time":"2024-03-27T14:37:54Z","timestamp":1711550274000},"source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":7,"title":["Long-term development of loneliness in older people and associations with stringency of COVID-19 measures: an observational cohort study"],"prefix":"10.1093","volume":"53","author":[{"given":"Flurina Meier","family":"Schwarzer","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Winterthur Institute of Health Economics, School of Management and Law, Zurich University of Applied Sciences , Winterthur 8401 ,","place":["Switzerland"]},{"name":"Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute , Allschwil 4123 ,","place":["Switzerland"]},{"name":"University of Basel , Basel 4003 ,","place":["Switzerland"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nicole","family":"Probst-Hensch","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute , Allschwil 4123 ,","place":["Switzerland"]},{"name":"University of Basel , Basel 4003 ,","place":["Switzerland"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Marek","family":"Kwiatkowski","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute , Allschwil 4123 ,","place":["Switzerland"]},{"name":"University of Basel , Basel 4003 ,","place":["Switzerland"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Marc","family":"H\u00f6glinger","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Winterthur Institute of Health Economics, School of Management and Law, Zurich University of Applied Sciences , Winterthur 8401 ,","place":["Switzerland"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"286","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,4,10]]},"reference":[{"key":"2024103110531453800_ref1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"896","DOI":"10.1093\/ageing\/afy095","article-title":"Loneliness as a risk factor for care home admission in the English longitudinal study of ageing","volume":"47","author":"Hanratty","year":"2018","journal-title":"Age Ageing"},{"key":"2024103110531453800_ref2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"227","DOI":"10.1177\/1745691614568352","article-title":"Loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for mortality: a meta-analytic review","volume":"10","author":"Holt-Lunstad","year":"2015","journal-title":"Perspect Psychol Sci"},{"key":"2024103110531453800_ref3","article-title":"The longitudinal association between loneliness and depressive symptoms in the elderly: a systematic review","volume":"34","author":"Lambert","journal-title":"Int Psychogeriatr"},{"key":"2024103110531453800_ref4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"7","DOI":"10.1016\/j.arr.2019.03.002","article-title":"Does loneliness contribute to mild cognitive impairment and dementia? A systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies","volume":"52","author":"Lara","year":"2019","journal-title":"Ageing Res Rev"},{"key":"2024103110531453800_ref5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2015-010799","article-title":"Loneliness, social isolation and social relationships: what are we measuring? A novel framework for classifying and comparing tools","volume":"6","author":"Valtorta","year":"2016","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"key":"2024103110531453800_ref6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"136","DOI":"10.1177\/14034948211056209","article-title":"The Faroese septuagenarians cohort: a comparison of well-being before and during the COVID-19 pandemic among older home-dwelling Faroese","volume":"50","author":"Eliasen","year":"2022","journal-title":"Scand J Public Health"},{"key":"2024103110531453800_ref7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e060209","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2021-060209","article-title":"Venerable vulnerability or remarkable resilience? A prospective study of the impact of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine measures on loneliness in Swedish older adults with home care","volume":"12","author":"Gustafsson","year":"2022","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"key":"2024103110531453800_ref8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"240","DOI":"10.1093\/geront\/gnaa194","article-title":"Well-being and loneliness in Swiss older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: the role of social relationships. Meeks S (ed.)","volume":"61","author":"Macdonald","year":"2021","journal-title":"Gerontologist"},{"key":"2024103110531453800_ref9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.3389\/fsoc.2020.590935","article-title":"Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on loneliness among older adults","volume":"5","author":"Seifert","year":"2020","journal-title":"Front Sociol"},{"key":"2024103110531453800_ref10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"44","DOI":"10.1093\/eurpub\/ckaa238","article-title":"The impact of COVID-19 restriction measures on loneliness among older adults in Austria","volume":"31","author":"Stolz","year":"2021","journal-title":"Eur J Public Health"},{"key":"2024103110531453800_ref11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"21","DOI":"10.1016\/j.annepidem.2022.05.010","article-title":"Longitudinal changes in mental health following the COVID-19 lockdown: results from the survey of health, ageing, and retirement in Europe","volume":"74","author":"Wester","year":"2022","journal-title":"Ann Epidemiol"},{"key":"2024103110531453800_ref12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"151","DOI":"10.1001\/jamapsychiatry.2021.3749","article-title":"Immediate and longer-term changes in the mental health and well-being of older adults in England during the COVID-19 pandemic","volume":"79","author":"Zaninotto","year":"2022","journal-title":"JAMA Psychiatry"},{"key":"2024103110531453800_ref13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e4","DOI":"10.1093\/geronb\/gbaa084","article-title":"Up and about: older adults\u2019 well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic in a Swedish longitudinal study. Isaacowitz DM (ed.)","volume":"76","author":"Kivi","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Gerontol: Series B"},{"key":"2024103110531453800_ref14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"369","DOI":"10.1177\/01640275211026649","article-title":"Change in loneliness experienced by older men and women living alone and with others at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic","volume":"44","author":"Wilson-Genderson","year":"2022","journal-title":"Res Aging"},{"key":"2024103110531453800_ref15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"85","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jad.2022.02.056","article-title":"Mental health and perceived impact during the first Covid-19 pandemic year: a longitudinal study in Dutch case-control cohorts of persons with and without depressive, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorders","volume":"305","author":"Kok","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Affect Disord"},{"key":"2024103110531453800_ref16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1017\/S1041610221002891","article-title":"Determinants of social health trajectories during the COVID-19 pandemic in older adults: the Rotterdam study","volume":"28","author":"Velpen","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int Psychogeriatr"},{"key":"2024103110531453800_ref17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1033","DOI":"10.1007\/s11136-021-02949-4","article-title":"Physical distancing is related to fewer electronic and in-person contacts and to increased loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic among older Europeans","volume":"31","author":"Cohn-Schwartz","year":"2022","journal-title":"Qual Life Res"},{"key":"2024103110531453800_ref18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"56","DOI":"10.1016\/j.puhe.2021.09.009","article-title":"Longitudinal effects of COVID-19-related loneliness on symptoms of mental distress among older adults in Austria","volume":"200","author":"Mayerl","year":"2021","journal-title":"Public Health"},{"key":"2024103110531453800_ref19","volume-title":"COVID-19: Stringency Index","author":"Mathieu","year":"2020"},{"key":"2024103110531453800_ref20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0242129","article-title":"The COVID-19 social monitor longitudinal online panel: real-time monitoring of social and public health consequences of the COVID-19 emergency in Switzerland","volume":"15","author":"Moser","year":"2020","journal-title":"PloS One"},{"key":"2024103110531453800_ref21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"655","DOI":"10.1177\/0164027504268574","article-title":"A short scale for measuring loneliness in large surveys: results from two population-based studies","volume":"26","author":"Hughes","year":"2004","journal-title":"Res Aging"},{"key":"2024103110531453800_ref22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"20","DOI":"10.1111\/jgs.16865","article-title":"Social isolation and loneliness among San Francisco Bay Area older adults during the COVID -19 Shelter-in-Place orders","volume":"69","author":"Kotwal","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Am Geriatr Soc"},{"key":"2024103110531453800_ref23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"489","DOI":"10.1186\/s12877-020-01889-x","article-title":"Mental wellbeing in the German old age population largely unaltered during COVID-19 lockdown: results of a representative survey","volume":"20","author":"R\u00f6hr","year":"2020","journal-title":"BMC Geriatr"},{"key":"2024103110531453800_ref24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"529","DOI":"10.1038\/s41562-021-01079-8","article-title":"A global panel database of pandemic policies (Oxford COVID-19 government response tracker)","volume":"5","author":"Hale","year":"2021","journal-title":"Nat Hum Behav"},{"key":"2024103110531453800_ref25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"31","DOI":"10.1016\/j.puhe.2020.06.036","article-title":"Who is lonely in lockdown? Cross-cohort analyses of predictors of loneliness before and during the COVID-19 pandemic","volume":"186","author":"Bu","year":"2020","journal-title":"Public Health"},{"key":"2024103110531453800_ref26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e0256253","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0256253","article-title":"Health and social behaviour through pandemic phases in Switzerland: regional time-trends of the COVID-19 social monitor panel study","volume":"16","author":"Moser","year":"2021","journal-title":"PloS One"},{"key":"2024103110531453800_ref27","volume-title":"Federal Office of Public Health FOPH"},{"key":"2024103110531453800_ref28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"121","DOI":"10.1016\/S2215-0366(20)30491-0","article-title":"The mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people with and without depressive, anxiety, or obsessive-compulsive disorders: a longitudinal study of three Dutch case-control cohorts","volume":"8","author":"Pan","year":"2021","journal-title":"Lancet Psychiatry"},{"key":"2024103110531453800_ref29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2021-058422","article-title":"COVID-19 collateral damage\u2014psychological burden and behavioural changes among older adults during the first outbreak in Stockholm, Sweden: a cross-sectional study","volume":"12","author":"Beridze","year":"2022","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"key":"2024103110531453800_ref30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"199","DOI":"10.1017\/S0714980822000459","article-title":"Older adults and social isolation and loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic: an integrated review of patterns, effects, and interventions","volume":"42","author":"Kadowaki","year":"2023","journal-title":"Can J Aging"}],"container-title":["Age and Ageing"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/ageing\/article-pdf\/53\/4\/afae069\/60271701\/afae069.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"syndication"},{"URL":"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/ageing\/article-pdf\/53\/4\/afae069\/60271701\/afae069.pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2024,10,31]],"date-time":"2024-10-31T07:30:38Z","timestamp":1730359838000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/ageing\/article\/doi\/10.1093\/ageing\/afae069\/7643338"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2024,4,1]]},"references-count":30,"journal-issue":{"issue":"4","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2024,4,1]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1093\/ageing\/afae069","relation":{},"ISSN":["0002-0729","1468-2834"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0002-0729","type":"print"},{"value":"1468-2834","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published-other":{"date-parts":[[2024,4,1]]},"published":{"date-parts":[[2024,4,1]]},"article-number":"afae069"}}