The impact of COVID-19 on the social inclusion of older adults with an intellectual disability during the first wave of the pandemic in Ireland.
D McCausland, R Luus, P McCallion and 2 others
PMID 34165228WHAT IT FOUND
Older adults with intellectual disabilities interviewed after the first lockdown reported significantly higher access to and use of technology, and more frequent family contact, than those interviewed before.
Contact with friends and participation in social activities showed no significant difference.
Key findings
01Participants interviewed after lockdown were significantly more likely to have access to technology (OR 5.06) and to use technology (OR 2.86) compared to those interviewed before lockdown.
02After controlling for demographics and previous data, the post-lockdown group reported significantly greater weekly family contact (OR 2.01).
03There were no significant differences between pre- and post-lockdown groups in contact with friends or number of weekly social activities.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study design is observational and post-hoc; it compares two different groups of people interviewed at different times, not the same people before and after lockdown. This makes it difficult to definitively attribute changes solely to the pandemic rather than other time-related factors. The post-lockdown group was small (n=62) compared to the pre-lockdown group (n=444). The groups differed significantly in age profile at baseline, with the post-lockdown group being younger (more 50-64 year olds, fewer 65+). While age was controlled for in regression, this structural difference remains a limitation. Data collection was interrupted by the pandemic, so the 'post-lockdown' data reflects a specific, early phase of the pandemic and may not generalize to later waves or prolonged restrictions. The study did not ask specifically about video calling apps (e.g., Zoom, Skype), so it cannot determine if the increased technology use was for social connection or other purposes.
Declared interests
The study was funded by the Health Research Board and Department of Health (Ireland). The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the increased technology use and family contact as a positive outcome of the pandemic itself. These findings come from a comparison of different groups interviewed at different times, not a within-subject analysis, and may reflect baseline differences or other temporal factors rather than a causal effect of lockdown.