Primary Submission Category: Aging
COVID-19 Test, Vaccination, and Social Participation in Older Adults: The Moderating Role of Gender
Authors: Weidi Qin
Presenting Author: Weidi Qin*
Recommended social distancing during COVID-19 pandemic has led to reduced social participation among older adults. The availability of COVID tests and vaccinations may have also influenced older adults’ social participation. Pre-COVID evidence shows that women experience increased social participation than men in late life. However, little research has examined the gender differences in social participation during COVID. This study address two research questions: 1) Is receiving COVID test and vaccination associated with social participation levels in older adults? 2) Does gender moderate the association between test and vaccination of COVID and social participation levels? This study utilized a nationally representative sample of adults aged 71 or older from Round 11 of the National Health and Aging Trend Study (2021). COVID test and vaccination were ascertained respectively (yes or no). Respondents were asked whether COVID prevented them from participating in six activities: visiting family and friends, religious attendance, club meetings, going out for enjoyment, working, and volunteering. Weighted logistic regressions were performed to test the study aims for each activity and to generate population estimates. Results shows that women were more likely to refrain from social participation due to COVID than men. Being vaccinated was associated with higher odds of not visiting family and friends (OR = 1.50, p = 0.015) and not going out for enjoyment (OR = 1.44, p = 0.007). Gender moderated the association between COVID test and social participation. Specifically, among older adults who received COVID-19 test, women were more likely than men to refrain from participating in clubs (OR = 1.80, p = 0.005), enjoyment (OR = 1.49, p = 0.030), and volunteering (OR = 1.84, p = 0.038). Findings suggest an urgent need to provide gender-specific services to help older women recover and engage in post-COVID social participation.