Reducing Social Isolation of Seniors during COVID-19 through Medical Student Telephone Contact

ObjectiveTo investigate Australian medical student burn-out during rural clinical placement. Second, to examine the association between perceived burn-out and rural career intent at the time of finishing their rural placement.Design, settings and participantsThe 2016 Federation of Rural Australian Medical Educators evaluation survey is a cross-sectional study of medical students from 17 Australian universities. Specifically, those medical students who completed a full academic year or more at a Rural Clinical School (RCS). Responses from 638 medical students from regional Australia were analysed in the study of all eligible 756 medical students (response rate 84.3%).Primary and secondary outcome measuresThe primary objective was to determine self-reported burn-out (emotional exhaustion) in rural placements for medical students. Secondary outcome measures were designed to explore interactions with rural practice self-efficacy and rural intentions. Logistic regression models explored factors associated with burn-out.Results26.5% of students reported experiencing burn-out during a rural placement. Factors associated with burn-out were female gender, rural origin, low preference for RCS, stress in the year prior to a rural clinical placement, perceived social isolation during rural placement and lower rural practice self-efficacy. Burn-out was not associated with rural career intentions. Social isolation and low rural self-efficacy were independently associated with burn-out during rural placement and together explained 10% of variance in burn-out (Model Nagelkerke R2=0.23).ConclusionBurn-out during rural placement may be a consequence of stress prior to a medical school placement. Social isolation and rural self-efficacy are amendable factors to mitigate medical student burn-out during rural placements.

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SOCIAL ISOLATION AND MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES AMONG HIGH-NEEDS VETERANS

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.1011 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S272-S273

Author(s):

Stuti Dang ◽

Kiranmayee Muralidhar ◽

Kaicheng Wang ◽

Diana Ruiz ◽

Carlos Gomez-Orozco ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Isolation ◽

Veterans Affairs ◽

High School Education ◽

Health Needs ◽

Assistive Device ◽

Mental Health Needs ◽

Telephone Contact ◽

Mobility Function ◽

Assessment Questionnaire

Abstract Using predictive analytic modeling, the Veterans Affairs has identified vulnerable Veterans, labeled as High Need High Risk (HNHR), as those who need greater services and support. To better understand their need gaps, we assessed function, mobility, mood, and caregiver status using a mailed needs assessment questionnaire to 1112 HNHR Veterans. Among the 341(30.7%) respondents, they were primarily 274(80.4%) Non-Hispanics; 210(61.6%) Whites, and 119(34.9%) Black or African Americans; average age was 69.5±9.6 years old; 310(90.4%) had ≥high school education. The average Barthel ADL score was 81.5±22.8 and average Lawton IADL score was 5.8±2.2. Walking or balance issues were present among 260(75.8%), 227(66.2%) said they use an assistive device, and 167(48.7%) had suffered ≥1 fall, 43(12.5%). Regarding depression, 117(34.3%) screened positive (PHQ2 score≥3). These were significantly younger (66.7±9.1) than those who did not (70.8±9.3, p≤0.01). They were also significantly lower functioning (5.37±2.1 vs.6.38±2 Lawton IADL score, p≤0.01), more dependent (77.8±23.1 vs 86±19.2 Barthel ADL score, p≤0.01). We also observed significant differences in their telephone contact with family (never to once/week) [35(29.9%) vs. 27(13.4%), (p≤0.01)]; in meeting with friends or relatives ≥3times a week [12(10.3%) vs. 69(34.3%), (p≤0.01)]; and in likelihood of attending meetings with clubs or other organizations [94(80.3%) vs. 138(68.7%), p=0.040]. Detecting depression is a priority among HNHR Veterans. There is an urgent need to devise viable strategies to offer interventions that incorporate mental health needs and reduce social isolation, potentially addressing mobility, function, and transportation.

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Build & Belong: A Peer-Based Intervention to Reduce Medical Student Social Isolation

Teaching and Learning in Medicine ◽

10.1080/10401334.2021.1984921 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-10

Author(s):

Susan M. Cheng ◽

David L. Taylor ◽

Allison A. Fitzgerald ◽

Charlene C. Kuo ◽

Kristi D. Graves

Keyword(s):

Medical Student ◽

Social Isolation

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Motives for Social Isolation Following a Negative Emotional Episode

Swiss Journal of Psychology ◽

10.1024/1421-0185/a000211 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 77 (3) ◽

pp. 127-131

Author(s):

Gérald Delelis ◽

Véronique Christophe

Keyword(s):

Social Isolation ◽

Social Affiliation ◽

Semantic Categorization ◽

Future Studies ◽

Cognitive Regulation ◽

Emotional Event ◽

Regulation Strategies ◽

Emotional Events

Abstract. After experiencing an emotional event, people either seek out others’ presence (social affiliation) or avoid others’ presence (social isolation). The determinants and effects of social affiliation are now well-known, but social psychologists have not yet thoroughly studied social isolation. This study aims to ascertain which motives and corresponding regulation strategies participants report for social isolation following negative emotional events. A group of 96 participants retrieved from memory an actual negative event that led them to temporarily socially isolate themselves and freely listed up to 10 motives for social isolation. Through semantic categorization of the 423 motives reported by the participants, we found that “cognitive clarification” and “keeping one’s distance” – that is, the need for cognitive regulation and the refusal of socioaffective regulation, respectively – were the most commonly and quickly reported motives for social isolation. We discuss the findings in terms of ideas for future studies aimed at clarifying the role of social isolation in health situations.

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The Need to Belong and the Relationship Between Loneliness and Health

Zeitschrift für Gesundheitspsychologie ◽

10.1026/0943-8149/a000129 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 22 (4) ◽

pp. 194-201 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Freda-Marie Hartung ◽

Britta Renner

Keyword(s):

Individual Differences ◽

Social Isolation ◽

Social Situation ◽

First Year ◽

Health State ◽

Need To Belong ◽

First Year University ◽

Perceived Social Isolation ◽

The Impact ◽

The Relationship

Humans are social animals; consequently, a lack of social ties affects individuals’ health negatively. However, the desire to belong differs between individuals, raising the question of whether individual differences in the need to belong moderate the impact of perceived social isolation on health. In the present study, 77 first-year university students rated their loneliness and health every 6 weeks for 18 weeks. Individual differences in the need to belong were found to moderate the relationship between loneliness and current health state. Specifically, lonely students with a high need to belong reported more days of illness than those with a low need to belong. In contrast, the strength of the need to belong had no effect on students who did not feel lonely. Thus, people who have a strong need to belong appear to suffer from loneliness and become ill more often, whereas people with a weak need to belong appear to stand loneliness better and are comparatively healthy. The study implies that social isolation does not impact all individuals identically; instead, the fit between the social situation and an individual’s need appears to be crucial for an individual’s functioning.

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