scholarly journals Coping with being cooped up: Social distancing during COVID-19 among 60+ in the United States

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kerstin Gerst Emerson
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
The United States ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Behavioral Changes ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Younger Age ◽  
Convenience Sampling ◽  
The Impact

Objectives. This study examined the impact of sheltering in place and social distancing among adults aged 60 and older during the 2020 outbreak of COVID-19 in the United States. Methods. Using convenience sampling respondents were asked to complete a web-administered survey to explore impact of social distancing on loneliness, stress, and behavioral changes. The analytic sample consisted of 833 responses of persons aged 60 and older. Results. A large portion reported being stressed (36%), and/or being lonely (42.5%). Nearly 1/3 stated that their sense of loneliness increased during the time of social distancing. Respondents reported engaging in more solitary activity (and fewer in-person activities), using email and text messages more than usual, and spending more time on computers/tablet than usual. Approximately 2/3 reported using more social media than usual. These differed significantly by younger (age 60-70) and older (71+) respondents. Additionally, changes in physical activity, drinking, recreational drug use and sleeping pattern changes differed by age. Conclusions. Social distancing has significant consequences on loneliness and health behaviors among adults in the United States, many of which differ by age group. Results have implications for continued shelter in place practices, but also for any older adult that may be homebound for other reasons.

scholarly journals Diverse local epidemics reveal the distinct effects of population density, demographics, climate, depletion of susceptibles, and intervention in the first wave of COVID-19 in the United States

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niayesh Afshordi ◽  
Benjamin Holder ◽  
Mohammad Bahrami ◽  
Daniel Lichtblau
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Population Density ◽  
The United States ◽  
Effective Response ◽  
Susceptible Population ◽  
Local Climate ◽  
Climate Conditions ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
The Impact

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has caused significant mortality and morbidity worldwide, sparing almost no community. As the disease will likely remain a threat for years to come, an understanding of the precise influences of human demographics and settlement, as well as the dynamic factors of climate, susceptible depletion, and intervention, on the spread of localized epidemics will be vital for mounting an effective response. We consider the entire set of local epidemics in the United States; a broad selection of demographic, population density, and climate factors; and local mobility data, tracking social distancing interventions, to determine the key factors driving the spread and containment of the virus. Assuming first a linear model for the rate of exponential growth (or decay) in cases/mortality, we find that population-weighted density, humidity, and median age dominate the dynamics of growth and decline, once interventions are accounted for. A focus on distinct metropolitan areas suggests that some locales benefited from the timing of a nearly simultaneous nationwide shutdown, and/or the regional climate conditions in mid-March; while others suffered significant outbreaks prior to intervention. Using a first-principles model of the infection spread, we then develop predictions for the impact of the relaxation of social distancing and local climate conditions. A few regions, where a significant fraction of the population was infected, show evidence that the epidemic has partially resolved via depletion of the susceptible population (i.e., “herd immunity”), while most regions in the United States remain overwhelmingly susceptible. These results will be important for optimal management of intervention strategies, which can be facilitated using our online dashboard.

scholarly journals Contact surveys reveal heterogeneities in age-group contributions to SARS-CoV-2 dynamics in the United States

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taylor Chin ◽  
Dennis M. Feehan ◽  
Caroline O. Buckee ◽  
Ayesha S. Mahmud
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
The United States ◽  
Contact Rate ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Contact Rates ◽  
Contact Patterns ◽  
Age Structured ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Over Time

SARS-CoV-2 is spread primarily through person-to-person contacts. Quantifying population contact rates is important for understanding the impact of physical distancing policies and for modeling COVID-19, but contact patterns have changed substantially over time due to shifting policies and behaviors. There are surprisingly few empirical estimates of age-structured contact rates in the United States both before and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic that capture these changes. Here, we use data from six waves of the Berkeley Interpersonal Contact Survey (BICS), which collected detailed contact data between March 22, 2020 and February 15, 2021 across six metropolitan designated market areas (DMA) in the United States. Contact rates were low across all six DMAs at the start of the pandemic. We find steady increases in the mean and median number of contacts across these localities over time, as well as a greater proportion of respondents reporting a high number of contacts. We also find that young adults between ages 18 and 34 reported more contacts on average compared to other age groups. The 65 and older age group consistently reported low levels of contact throughout the study period. To understand the impact of these changing contact patterns, we simulate COVID-19 dynamics in each DMA using an age-structured mechanistic model. We compare results from models that use BICS contact rate estimates versus commonly used alternative contact rate sources. We find that simulations parameterized with BICS estimates give insight into time-varying changes in relative incidence by age group that are not captured in the absence of these frequently updated estimates. We also find that simulation results based on BICS estimates closely match observed data on the age distribution of cases, and changes in these distributions over time. Together these findings highlight the role of different age groups in driving and sustaining SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the U.S. We also show the utility of repeated contact surveys in revealing heterogeneities in the epidemiology of COVID-19 across localities in the United States.

scholarly journals Socioeconomic Disparities in Social Distancing During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States: Observational Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Romain Garnier ◽  
Jan R Benetka ◽  
John Kraemer ◽  
Shweta Bansal
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Black People ◽  
The United States ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Mobility Patterns ◽  
Poverty Level ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Mobility Data ◽  
Black Populations ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND Eliminating disparities in the burden of COVID-19 requires equitable access to control measures across socio-economic groups. Limited research on socio-economic differences in mobility hampers our ability to understand whether inequalities in social distancing are occurring during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. OBJECTIVE We aimed to assess how mobility patterns have varied across the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic and to identify associations with socioeconomic factors of populations. METHODS We used anonymized mobility data from tens of millions of devices to measure the speed and depth of social distancing at the county level in the United States between February and May 2020, the period during which social distancing was widespread in this country. Using linear mixed models, we assessed the associations between social distancing and socioeconomic variables, including the proportion of people in the population below the poverty level, the proportion of Black people, the proportion of essential workers, and the population density. RESULTS We found that the speed, depth, and duration of social distancing in the United States are heterogeneous. We particularly show that social distancing is slower and less intense in counties with higher proportions of people below the poverty level and essential workers; in contrast, we show that social distancing is intensely adopted in counties with higher population densities and larger Black populations. CONCLUSIONS Socioeconomic inequalities appear to be associated with the levels of adoption of social distancing, potentially resulting in wide-ranging differences in the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in communities across the United States. These inequalities are likely to amplify existing health disparities and must be addressed to ensure the success of ongoing pandemic mitigation efforts.

scholarly journals Can scientists use simple infographics to convince? Effects of the “flatten the curve” charts on perceptions of and behavioral intentions toward social distancing measures during the COVID-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (7) ◽  
pp. 898-912
Author(s):  
Nan Li ◽  
Amanda L. Molder
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Behavioral Intentions ◽  
Visual Communication ◽  
Initial Response ◽  
The United States ◽  
Behavioral Changes ◽  
Perceived Effectiveness ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
The Public ◽  
Communication Of Science

Infographics of modest complexity are commonly used to convey knowledge to non-experts. However, little is known regarding how the use of infographics may convince the public and lead to massive behavioral changes in response to an acute cause. In March 2020, scientists and journalists revamped a scholarly published graph into the “flatten the curve” (FTC) mantra that defined the United States’ initial response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study examined how Americans’ awareness of the flatten the curve charts relates to their perceived effectiveness of social distancing measures, perceived controllability of the pandemic, and behavioral intentions toward social distancing measures. Implications on visual communication of science are discussed.

scholarly journals Socio-economic disparities in social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Romain Garnier ◽  
Jan R. Benetka ◽  
John Kraemer ◽  
Shweta Bansal
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Black People ◽  
The United States ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Mobility Patterns ◽  
Poverty Level ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Mobility Data ◽  
Black Populations ◽  
The Impact

AbstractImportanceEliminating disparities in the burden of COVID-19 requires equitable access to control measures across socio-economic groups. Limited research on socio-economic differences in mobility hampers our ability to understand whether inequalities in social distancing are occurring during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.ObjectiveTo assess how mobility patterns have varied across the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic, and identify associations with socio-economic factors of populations.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsWe used anonymized mobility data from tens of millions of devices to measure the speed and depth of social distancing at the county level between February and May 2020. Using linear mixed models, we assessed the associations between social distancing and socio-economic variables, including the proportion of people below the poverty level, the proportion of Black people, the proportion of essential workers, and the population density.Main outcomes and ResultsWe find that the speed, depth, and duration of social distancing in the United States is heterogeneous. We particularly show that social distancing is slower and less intense in counties with higher proportions of people below the poverty level and essential workers; and in contrast, that social distancing is intense in counties with higher population densities and larger Black populations.Conclusions and relevanceSocio-economic inequalities appear to be associated with the levels of adoption of social distancing, potentially resulting in wide-ranging differences in the impact of COVID-19 in communities across the United States. This is likely to amplify existing health disparities, and needs to be addressed to ensure the success of ongoing pandemic mitigation efforts.

scholarly journals A transnational and transregional study of the impact and effectiveness of social distancing for COVID-19 mitigation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tarcísio M. Rocha Filho ◽  
Marcelo A. Moret ◽  
José F. F. Mendes
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Infection Rate ◽  
Rank Order ◽  
The United States ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Spearman’S Correlation

AbstractWe present an analysis of the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 infection rates and a social distancing metric from data for all the states and most populous cities in the United States and Brazil, all the 22 European Economic Community countries and the United Kingdom. We discuss why the infection rate, instead of the effective reproduction number or growth rate of cases, is a proper choice to perform this analysis when considering a wide span of time. We obtain a strong Spearman’s rank order correlation between the social distancing metric and the infection rate in each locality. We show that mask mandates increase the values of Spearman’s correlation in the United States, where a mandate was adopted. We also obtain an explicit numerical relation between the infection rate and the social distancing metric defined in the present work.

scholarly journals Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Gardening in the United States: Postpandemic Expectations

2022 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-38
Author(s):  
David San Fratello ◽  
Benjamin L. Campbell ◽  
William G. Secor ◽  
Julie H. Campbell
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
National Survey ◽  
Household Income ◽  
The United States ◽  
Age Group ◽  
New Normal ◽  
Number Of Children ◽  
Green Industry ◽  
Normal Green ◽  
The Impact

The COVID-19 pandemic altered the way many consumers and businesses transacted business. Concerning the green industry, many households began gardening and/or purchased more green industry products. As the pandemic ends and households begin to return to normal, green industry firms need to understand this new normal. Using an online national survey of households, we assessed which households were more likely to remain in the market after entering during the height of the pandemic (2020). Findings indicated that younger consumers (i.e., Millennials and younger individuals who were born in 1985 or after) were less likely to indicate they always garden (before the pandemic) but more likely to have started gardening during the pandemic and perceived that they would not continue to garden as states returned to normal (2021). This age group was also more likely to not have gardened in 2020, but they intended to garden in 2021. This finding shows a dichotomy in gardening preferences in this young age group. Further findings indicated that race, household income, number of children in the household, and the impact of the pandemic on the household also help explain the household’s decision to garden or not.

scholarly journals A Transnational and Transregional Study of the Impact and Effectiveness of Social Distancing for COVID-19 Mitigation

Entropy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (11) ◽  
pp. 1530
Author(s):  
Tarcísio M. Rocha Filho ◽  
Marcelo A. Moret ◽  
José F. F. Mendes
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Infection Rate ◽  
Rank Order ◽  
The United States ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Spearman’S Correlation

We present an analysis of the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 infection rates and a social distancing metric from data for all the states and most populous cities in the United States and Brazil, all the 22 European Economic Community countries and the United Kingdom. We discuss why the infection rate, instead of the effective reproduction number or growth rate of cases, is a proper choice to perform this analysis when considering a wide span of time. We obtain a strong Spearman’s rank order correlation between the social distancing metric and the infection rate in each locality. We show that mask mandates increase the values of Spearman’s correlation in the United States, where a mandate was adopted. We also obtain an explicit numerical relation between the infection rate and the social distancing metric defined in the present work.

scholarly journals State-level impact of social distancing and testing on COVID-19 in the United States

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weihsueh A. Chiu ◽  
Rebecca Fischer ◽  
Martial L. Ndeffo-Mbah
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Disease Incidence ◽  
State Level ◽  
The United States ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Reproductive Number ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Epidemic Curve ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Social distancing measures have been implemented in the United States (US) since March 2020, to mitigate the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19. However, by mid-May most states began relaxing these measures to support the resumption of economic activity, even as disease incidence continued to increase in many states. To evaluate the impact of relaxing social distancing restrictions on COVID-19 dynamics and control in the US, we developed a transmission dynamic model and calibrated it to US state-level COVID-19 cases and deaths from March to June 20th, 2020, using Bayesian methods. We used this model to evaluate the impact of reopening, social distancing, testing, contact tracing, and case isolation on the COVID-19 epidemic in each state. We found that using stay-at-home orders, most states were able to curtail their COVID-19 epidemic curve by reducing and achieving an effective reproductive number below 1. But by June 20th, 2020, only 19 states and the District of Columbia were on track to curtail their epidemic curve with a 75% confidence, at current levels of reopening. Of the remaining 31 states, 24 may have to double their current testing and/or contact tracing rate to curtail their epidemic curve, and seven need to further restrict social contact by 25% in addition to doubling their testing and contact tracing rates. When social distancing restrictions are being eased, greater state-level testing and contact tracing capacity remains paramount for mitigating the risk of large-scale increases in cases and deaths.

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