The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences
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J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci · Feb 2021
Exacerbating Inequalities: Social Networks, Racial/Ethnic Disparities, and the COVID-19 Pandemic.
The disruption and contraction of older adults' social networks are among the less discussed consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our objective was to provide an evidence-based commentary on racial/ethnic disparities in social network resources and draw attention to the ways in which disasters differentially affect social networks, with meaningful insight for the ongoing pandemic. ⋯ Importantly, racial/ethnic disparities in social networks both prior to and as a result of the pandemic intensify existing inequalities and demonstrate the necessity of better understanding social network inequalities for marginalized older adults, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 health crisis.
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J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci · Feb 2021
The Color of COVID-19: Structural Racism and the Pandemic's Disproportionate Impact on Older Racial and Ethnic Minorities.
The aim of this evidence-based theoretically informed article was to provide an overview of how and why the COVID-19 outbreak is particularly detrimental for the health of older Black and Latinx adults. ⋯ While the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented crisis, the racial/ethnic health inequalities among older adults it has exposed are longstanding and deeply rooted in structural racism within American society. This knowledge presents both challenges and opportunities for researchers and policymakers as they seek to address the needs of older adults. It is imperative that federal, state, and local governments collect and release comprehensive data on the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths by race/ethnicity and age to better gauge the impact of the outbreak across minority communities. We conclude with a discussion of incremental steps to be taken to lessen the disproportionate burden of COVID-19 among older Black and Latinx adults, as well as the need for transformative actions that address structural racism in order to achieve population health equity.
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J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci · Feb 2021
The Disproportionate Impact of COVID-19 on Older Latino Mortality: The Rapidly Diminishing Latino Paradox.
This brief report aims to highlight stark mortality disparities among older Latinos that result from the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. ⋯ Our findings indicate that as a result of the pandemic, the time-tested Latino paradox has rapidly diminished due to higher COVID-19 mortality among older Latino adults compared to non-Latino Whites. Future research should continue to monitor the impact of COVID-19 to assess the disparate impact of the pandemic on older non-Latino Black, Latino, and non-Latino White adults as additional data become available.
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J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci · Feb 2021
Gender Divides in Engagement With COVID-19 Information on the Internet Among U.S. Older Adults.
Gender and age disparities in older adults' exposure to pandemic stressors may create different needs for engaging with COVID-19 information, yet mitigation strategies to curb spreading COVID-19 inhibit their access to preferred in-person information networks. To inform the design of Internet-based interventions for older adults, the current study of U.S. older adults examines gender and age divides in searching for and sharing COVID-19 information on the Internet. ⋯ Internet-based interventions for older adults should consider how gender shapes their exposure to pandemic stressors. Men, who were already at risk of social isolation before the pandemic, may be candidates for interventions encouraging social uses of the Internet. Women between 50 and 64 were most likely among adults to provide care for another adult before the pandemic, which may be shaping their online information needs.