TY - JOUR
T1 - Evaluation of a Short-Term Digital Group Intervention to Relieve Mental Distress and Promote Well-Being Among Community-Dwelling Older Individuals During the COVID-19 Outbreak
T2 - A Study Protocol
AU - Shapira, Stav
AU - Yeshua-Katz, Daphna
AU - Goren, Ganit
AU - Aharonson-Daniel, Limor
AU - Clarfield, A. Mark
AU - Sarid, Orly
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © Copyright © 2021 Shapira, Yeshua-Katz, Goren, Aharonson-Daniel, Clarfield and Sarid.
PY - 2021/4/9
Y1 - 2021/4/9
N2 - Older individuals are at an increased risk of experiencing adverse social and health consequences due to both the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures taken to manage it, such as social distancing. To promote community-dwelling older individuals' well-being during this time, the aims of the current project are to develop effective strategies in order (a) to increase older individuals' digital literacy, and (b) to help them acquire behavioral and cognitive skills that will improve their coping abilities with the stressful situation created as a result of the pandemic, as well as reducing adverse mental health effects. The project comprises an intervention arm that includes digital group sessions for older individuals meant to improve their digital literacy, promote their effective coping, and relieve their mental distress and loneliness. Subjects receive a short-term (seven sessions), twice-weekly, digitally guided group intervention through Zoom (a video conferencing app), and WhatsApp (instant messaging app). The wait list control-group participants receive twice-weekly telephone calls from a research assistant during a parallel period. Web-based questionnaires are filled in pre- and post-participation. The effectiveness of the intervention will be analyzed by comparing pre- and post-measures, between intervention and control groups. This protocol offers a model for helping to support vulnerable populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it is applicable regardless of the outbreak of a global health crisis or the imposition of lockdown rules; in fact, it has the potential to contribute to the social inclusion of vulnerable populations during routine times as well as during emergencies. Furthermore, ideas for future expansion include the integration of multilingual facilitators in order to reach seniors from underserved minority groups in various social contexts, even across borders.
AB - Older individuals are at an increased risk of experiencing adverse social and health consequences due to both the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures taken to manage it, such as social distancing. To promote community-dwelling older individuals' well-being during this time, the aims of the current project are to develop effective strategies in order (a) to increase older individuals' digital literacy, and (b) to help them acquire behavioral and cognitive skills that will improve their coping abilities with the stressful situation created as a result of the pandemic, as well as reducing adverse mental health effects. The project comprises an intervention arm that includes digital group sessions for older individuals meant to improve their digital literacy, promote their effective coping, and relieve their mental distress and loneliness. Subjects receive a short-term (seven sessions), twice-weekly, digitally guided group intervention through Zoom (a video conferencing app), and WhatsApp (instant messaging app). The wait list control-group participants receive twice-weekly telephone calls from a research assistant during a parallel period. Web-based questionnaires are filled in pre- and post-participation. The effectiveness of the intervention will be analyzed by comparing pre- and post-measures, between intervention and control groups. This protocol offers a model for helping to support vulnerable populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it is applicable regardless of the outbreak of a global health crisis or the imposition of lockdown rules; in fact, it has the potential to contribute to the social inclusion of vulnerable populations during routine times as well as during emergencies. Furthermore, ideas for future expansion include the integration of multilingual facilitators in order to reach seniors from underserved minority groups in various social contexts, even across borders.
KW - COVID-19
KW - cognitive-behavioral skills
KW - digital group interventions
KW - mental health and well-being
KW - older individuals
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85104671067&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2021.577079
DO - https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2021.577079
M3 - Article
C2 - 33898369
SN - 2296-2565
VL - 9
JO - Frontiers in Public Health
JF - Frontiers in Public Health
M1 - 577079
ER -