Older Black Americans During COVID-19: Race and Age Double Jeopardy.

The concept of "double jeopardy"-being both older and Black-describes how racism and ageism together shape higher risks for coronavirus exposure, COVID-19 disease, and poor health outcomes for older Black adults. Black people and older adults are the two groups most affected by COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. Double jeopardy, as a race- and age-informed analysis, demonstrates how Black race and older age are associated with practices and policies that shape key life circumstances (e.g., racial residential segregation, family and household composition) and resources in ways that embody elevated risk for COVID-19. The concept of double jeopardy underscores long-standing race- and age-based inequities and social vulnerabilities that produce devastating COVID-19 related deaths and injuries for older Black adults. Developing policies and actions that address race- and age-based inequities and social vulnerabilities can lower risks and enhance protective factors to ensure the health of older Black Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Later-life depressive symptoms during the Covid-19 pandemic: Investigations of individual, cumulative, and synergistic effects of social isolation.

OBJECTIVES: This study examines associations between social isolation and depressive symptoms among Hong Kong Chinese adults aged 65 and older by investigating the distinct effects of individual indicators, cumulative index, and typologies of social isolation during the Covid-19 pandemic. METHODS: We used a sample of 260 older adults from a cross-sectional, city-wide online survey targeting 1,109 aged 45+ adults through purposive sampling. Seven indicators of social isolation (not married; living alone; not engaging in social/organizational activities; no social contact with friends or families; lack of family and friends networks; loneliness) using Cornwell & Waite's framework were selected to construct three unique types of social isolation measures. We used latent class analysis (LCA) and regression models to examine the effects of varied typologies of social isolation on depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Individual model of social isolation showed that lack of social contact and feeling lonely were significant predictors of depressive symptoms. A strong linear-trend gradient effect of cumulative social isolation on depressive symptoms was also observed. The LCA model identified four typologies of social isolation (socially isolated; living alone but socially engaged; married but lacking social ties, and not socially isolated); those in the 'socially isolated' and 'married but lacking social ties' groups had the most depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: Three operationalizations of social isolation demonstrated different utilities and implications in assessing the impacts of social isolation on depressive symptoms. Social contacts and loneliness, rather than living status or other characteristics of isolation, were the factors most strongly associated with depressive symptoms. Support programs should target lonely older adults who lack social engagement opportunities, as they are at increased risk of depression.