Impact of digital social media on the perception of loneliness and social isolation in older adults.
Luciana Kusumota, Maria Angélica Andreotti Diniz, Renato Mendonça Ribeiro and 4 others
PMID 35613252WHAT IT FOUND
Seven studies showed positive results, but four reported barriers or need for stronger evidence.
Across 11 included studies, evidence is mixed, so do not promise benefit.
Key findings
01The review analysed 11 articles, and seven reported positive results for reducing loneliness or social isolation in older adults.
02Four studies reported barriers or the need for more robust work, including low self-esteem, low family participation and social support.
03A study of 626 Dutch older adults found social media use was not related to loneliness or mental health.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
Only articles available for free were included, so relevant studies may be missing. No Brazilian primary studies were identified, so it says little about older adults in Brazil. The included studies had different designs, technologies and outcomes, and some had partially adequate methodological quality, so the evidence is not uniform. Studies from the COVID-19 pandemic period were excluded by the selection criteria.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this review as proof that digital social media reduces loneliness in older adults. Seven included studies were positive, but four reported barriers or need for stronger evidence, and a study of 626 Dutch older adults found no relationship with loneliness or mental health.