Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

ICT Use and Loneliness During COVID-19 Pandemic: The Case of European Male and Female Older Workers

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Human Aspects of IT for the Aged Population (HCII 2023)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 14042))

Included in the following conference series:

  • 807 Accesses

Abstract

While loneliness has been recognised as a public health issue for a long time, it has become one of the biggest challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Social distancing measures introduced to contrast the COVID-19 outbreaks have led to the spread of remote working. Previous research findings documented the detrimental effect of working from home on workers' well-being, often leading to an increase of the risk of experiencing loneliness. ICT use has been recognised as one of the most useful resources on which workers can rely on to maintain good work performance and to prevent feelings of loneliness. Surprisingly, there is a shortage of research on older workers’ loneliness during the pandemic, although they are a category of workers that, due to their lower digital skills, can suffer greatly from the adverse effects of working remotely in COVID-19’s time. Adopting a gender-sensitive approach, this paper explores the association between pre-pandemic patterns of ICT use and old-age loneliness during the first COVID-19 outbreak, focusing on older European workers (i.e., people in employment aged 50 or over). We use data from 2020 SHARE COVID-19 Wave 8 (2020), a large-scale longitudinal survey on European older adults, to perform a set of multinomial logistic regression models, controlling for an heterogeneous set of possible mediators (i.e., socio-demographic characteristics, health conditions, contact frequency, digital skills and quality of Internet connection, and the economic sector of activity). Key findings from our analysis are that (i) ICT use may be a protective factor against the risk of loneliness amongst European older workers, (ii) the association between ICT use and loneliness is mediated by a number of individual characteristics (e.g., socio-demographics), and (iii) this association varies by gender.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Pirani, E., De Santis, G., Zanasi, F.: It all depends on how you do it. Health effects of leaving the labour market. In: Arpino, B. (ed.) Care, retirement and well-being of old people across different welfare regimes. pp. 112–115. Niussp (2021)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Mendez-Lopez, A., Stuckler, D., McKee, M., Semenza, J.C., Lazarus, J.V.: The mental health crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic in older adults and the role of physical distancing interventions and social protection measures in 26 European countries. SSM - Population Health. 17, 101017 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.101017

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Carson, J., Prescott, J., Allen, R., McHugh, S.: Winter is coming: age and early psychological concomitants of the COVID-19 pandemic in England. J. Public Ment. Health 19, 221–230 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1108/JPMH-06-2020-0062

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Cohn-Schwartz, E.,Vitman-Schorr, A., Khalaila, R.: Physical distancing is related to fewer electronic and in-person contacts and to increased loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic among older Europeans. Qual Life Res. 31, 1033–1042 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-021-02949-4

  5. Melis Giulia, Sala Emanuela, Zaccaria Daniele: “I turned to Facebook to know when they would open the cemetery”... Results from a qualitative case study on older people’s social media use during COVID-19 lockdown in Italy. RS. 431–457 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1423/101851

  6. Dickinson, A., Gregor, P.: Computer use has no demonstrated impact on the well-being of older adults. Int. J. Hum Comput Stud. 64, 744–753 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhcs.2006.03.001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Skałacka, K., Pajestka, G.: Digital or in-person: the relationship between mode of interpersonal communication during the COVID-19 pandemic and mental health in older adults from 27 countries. J Fam Nurs. 27, 275–284 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1177/10748407211031980

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Leigh-Hunt, N., et al.: An overview of systematic reviews on the public health consequences of social isolation and loneliness. Public Health 152, 157–171 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2017.07.035

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Chopik, W.J.: The benefits of social technology use among older adults are mediated by reduced loneliness. Cyberpsychol. Behav. Soc. Netw. 19, 551–556 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2016.0151

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Coyle, C.E., Dugan, E.: Social isolation, loneliness and health among older adults. J Aging Health. 24, 1346–1363 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1177/0898264312460275

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Hajek, A., König, H.-H.: Which factors contribute to loneliness among older Europeans? Findings from the survey of health, ageing and retirement in Europe. Arch. Gerontol. Geriatr. 89, 104080 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.archger.2020.104080

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Lee, S.: Loneliness among older adults in the Czech Republic: a socio-demographic, health, and psychosocial profile. Arch. Gerontol. Geriatr. 90, 104068 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.archger.2020.104068

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Dahlberg, L., Andersson, L., McKee, K.J., Lennartsson, C.: Predictors of loneliness among older women and men in Sweden: a national longitudinal study. Aging Ment. Health 19, 409–417 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2014.944091

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Ormstad, H., Eilertsen, G., Heir, T., Sandvik, L.: Personality traits and the risk of becoming lonely in old age: a 5-year follow-up study. Health Qual Life Outcomes. 18, (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12955-020-01303-5

  15. Peplau, L., Perlman, D.: Perspectives on loneliness. In: Peplau, L. and Perlman, D. (eds.) A sourcebook of current theory, research, and therapy. Wiley, New York (1982)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Luchetti, M., et al.: The trajectory of loneliness in response to COVID-19. Am Psychologist. 75, 897 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000690

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. van Tilburg, T.G., Steinmetz, S., Stolte, E., van der Roest, H., de Vries, D.H.: Loneliness and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: a study among dutch older adults. J. Gerontol. Ser. B. gbaa111 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbaa111

  18. Heidinger, T., Richter, L.: The effect of COVID-19 on loneliness in the elderly. an empirical comparison of pre-and peri-pandemic loneliness in community-dwelling elderly. Front. Psychol. 11 (2020)

    Google Scholar 

  19. Haleem, A., Javaid, M., Vaishya, R.: Effects of COVID-19 pandemic in daily life. Curr. Med. Res. Pract. 10, 78–79 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmrp.2020.03.011

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. de Klerk, J.J., Joubert, M., Mosca, H.F.: Is working from home the new workplace panacea? Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic for the future world of work. SA J. Ind. Psychol. 47, (2021). https://doi.org/10.4102/sajip.v47i0.1883

  21. de LucasAncillo, A., del Val Núñez, M.T., Gavrila, S.G.: Workplace change within the COVID-19 context: a grounded theory approach. Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja. 34, 2297–2316 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1080/1331677X.2020.1862689

  22. Waizenegger, L., McKenna, B., Cai, W., Bendz, T.: An affordance perspective of team collaboration and enforced working from home during COVID-19. Eur. J. Inf. Syst. 29, 429–442 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1080/0960085X.2020.1800417

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Groarke, J.M., Berry, E., Graham-Wisener, L., McKenna-Plumley, P.E., McGlinchey, E., Armour, C.: Loneliness in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic: cross-sectional results from the COVID-19 Psychological Wellbeing Study. PLoS ONE. 15, e0239698 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0239698

  24. Reynolds, D.L., Garay, J.R., Deamond, S.L., Moran, M.K., Gold, W., Styra, R.: Understanding, compliance and psychological impact of the SARS quarantine experience. Epidemiol. Infect. 136, 997–1007 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1017/S0950268807009156

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Brenan, M.: U.S. workers discovering affinity for remote work. https://news.gallup.com/poll/306695/workers-discovering-affinityremote-work.aspx. Accessed 04 Jan 2023

  26. Galanti, T., Guidetti, G., Mazzei, E., Zappalà, S., Toscano, F.: Work from home during the COVID-19 outbreak: the impact on employees’ remote work productivity, engagement and stress. J. Occupat. Environ. Med. Publish Ahead of Print (2021). https://doi.org/10.1097/JOM.0000000000002236

  27. Mann, S., Holdsworth, L.: The psychological impact of teleworking: stress, emotions and health. N. Technol. Work. Employ. 18, 196–211 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-005X.00121

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Mann, S., Varey, R., Button, W.: An exploration of the emotional impact of tele-working via computer-mediated communication. J. Manag. Psychol. 15, 668–690 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1108/02683940010378054

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Fonner, K.L., Roloff, M.E.: Why teleworkers are more satisfied with their jobs than are office-based workers: when less contact is beneficial. J. Appl. Commun. Res. 38, 336–361 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1080/00909882.2010.513998

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Ozcelik, H., Beetz, A., Barsade, S.: Understanding an epidemic during a pandemic: a relook at work loneliness in time of COVID-19. Presented at the Academy of Management Conference (2020)

    Google Scholar 

  31. Taser, D., Aydin, E., Torgaloz, A.O., Rofcanin, Y.: An examination of remote e-working and flow experience: the role of technostress and loneliness. Comput. Hum. Behav. 127, 107020 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2021.107020

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Kniffin, K.M., et al.: COVID-19 and the workplace: implications, issues, and insights for future research and action. Am. Psychol. 76, 63 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000716

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Konno, Y., et al.: Association between loneliness and psychological distress: a cross-sectional study among Japanese workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Preventive Medicine Reports. 24, 101621 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2021.101621

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Hecker, I., Spaulding, S., Kuehn, D.: Digital skills and older workers. Urban Insitute, Washington, DC (2021)

    Google Scholar 

  35. Miyake, F., et al.: Job stress and loneliness among desk workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan: focus on remote working. Environ Health Prev Med. 27, 33 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1265/ehpm.22-00107

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Ghilarducci, T., Farmand, A.: Older workers on the COVID-19-frontlines without paid sick leave. J. Aging Soc. Policy 32, 471–476 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1080/08959420.2020.1765685

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Gould, E.: Older workers can’t work from home and are at a higher risk for COVID-19. Economic Policy Institute (2020)

    Google Scholar 

  38. Di Novi, C., Paruolo, P., Verzillo, S.: The role of employment protection legislation regimes in shaping the impact of job disruption on older workers’ mental health in times of COVID-19. SSRN J. (2022). https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4031714

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Sharit, J., Czaja, S.J., Hernandez, M.A., Nair, S.N.: The employability of older workers as teleworkers: an appraisal of issues and an empirical study. Hum. Fact. Ergon. Manuf. Serv. Ind. 19, 457–477 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1002/hfm.20138

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Bevilacqua, G., et al.: Older working adults in the HEAF study are more likely to report loneliness after two years of follow-up if they have negative perceptions of their work quality. BMC Public Health 21, 574 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10610-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Loos, E.: Senior citizens: digital immigrants in their own country? Observatorio (OBS*) J. 6, 1–23 (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  42. Loos, E., Peine, A., Fernandéz-Ardèvol, M.: Older people as early adopters and their unexpected and innovative use of new technologies: deviating from technology companies’ scripts. In: Gao, Q., Zhou, J. (eds.) HCII 2021. LNCS, vol. 12786, pp. 156–167. Springer, Cham (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-78108-8_12

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  43. Zaccaria, D., Sala, E., Respi, C.: Le competenze digitali dei lavoratori anziani in italia. Salute e Società. XXI, 9–25 (2022). https://doi.org/10.3280/SES2022-003002

  44. Loos, E.: In search of information on websites: a question of age? In: Stephanidis, C. (ed.) UAHCI 2011. LNCS, vol. 6766, pp. 196–204. Springer, Heidelberg (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-21663-3_21

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  45. Hill, R., Dickinson, A., Arnott, J.L., Gregor, P., McIver, L.: Older web users’ eye movements: experience counts. In: Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, pp. 1151–1160 (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  46. Barreto, M., Victor, C., Hammond, C., Eccles, A., Richins, M.T., Qualter, P.: Loneliness around the world: age, gender, and cultural differences in loneliness. Personality Individ. Differ. 169, 110066 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2020.110066

    Article  Google Scholar 

  47. Sala, E., Gaia, A.: Older people’s use of «information and communication technology» in Europe. The Italian case. Autonomie locali e servizi sociali. 163–183 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1447/95863

  48. Fan, W., Moen, P.: Working more, less or the same during COVID-19? A mixed method, intersectional analysis of remote workers. Work. Occup. 49, 143–186 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1177/07308884211047208

    Article  Google Scholar 

  49. Börsch-Supan, A.: Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) Wave 8. COVID-19 Survey 1. Release version: 8.0.0. SHARE-ERIC. (2022). https://doi.org/10.6103/SHARE.w8ca.800

  50. Börsch-Supan, A., et al.: Data resource profile: the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Int. J. Epidemiol. 42, 992–1001 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyt088

    Article  Google Scholar 

  51. Scherpenzeel, A., et al.: Collecting survey data among the 50+ population during the COVID-19 outbreak: the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Survey research methods. 14, 217–221 (2020). https://doi.org/10.18148/srm/2020.v14i2.7738

  52. Williams, R.: Using the margins command to estimate and interpret adjusted predictions and marginal effects. Stand. Genomic Sci. 12, 308–331 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1177/1536867X1201200209

    Article  Google Scholar 

  53. Dahlberg, L., McKee, K.J., Frank, A., Naseer, M.: A systematic review of longitudinal risk factors for loneliness in older adults. Aging & Mental Health. 1–25 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2021.1876638

  54. Jaremka, L.M., et al.: Pain, depression, and fatigue: loneliness as a longitudinal risk factor. Health Psychol. 33, 948–957 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1037/a0034012

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was funded by the Cariplo Foundation, Grant Number: 2021–0897. It uses data from SHARE Wave 8 (https://doi.org/10.6103/SHARE.w8.800, https://doi.org/10.6103/SHARE.w8ca.800), see Börsch-Supan et al. (2013) for methodological details. The SHARE data collection has been funded by the European Commission, DG RTD through FP5 (QLK6-CT-2001–00360), FP6 (SHARE-I3: RII-CT-2006–062193, COMPARE: CIT5-CT-2005–028857, SHARELIFE: CIT4-CT-2006–028812), FP7 (SHARE-PREP: GA N°211909, SHARE-LEAP: GA N°227822, SHARE M4: GA N°261982, DASISH: GA N°283646) and Horizon 2020 (SHARE-DEV3: GA N°676536, SHARE-COHESION: GA N°870628, SERISS: GA N°654221, SSHOC: GA N°823782, SHARE-COVID19: GA N°101015924) and by DG Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion through VS 2015/0195, VS 2016/0135, VS 2018/0285, VS 2019/0332, and VS 2020/0313. Additional funding from the German Ministry of Education and Research, the Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science, the U.S. National Institute on Aging (U01_AG09740-13S2, P01_AG005842, P01_AG08291, P30_AG12815, R21_AG025169, Y1-AG-4553–01, IAG_BSR06–11, OGHA_04–064, HHSN271201300071C, RAG052527A) and from various national funding sources is gratefully acknowledged (see www.share-project.org).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland, Via Violino 11, 6098, Manno, Switzerland

    Daniele Zaccaria

  2. University of Milan Bicocca, Via Bicocca degli Arcimboldi 8, 20126, Milano, Italy

    Emanuela Sala & Federica Cretazzo

Authors
  1. Daniele Zaccaria
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Emanuela Sala
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Federica Cretazzo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

Though this paper is the result of the joint contribution of all three authors, DZ wrote the Introduction, The empirical context, Materials and methods (3.1 SHARE: Wave 8 and the COVID-19 Survey 1), and Conclusions, limitations, and implications for future research sections; ES wrote Materials and Methods (3.2 Variables) and Results section (4.1 Preliminary analysis and 4.3. Gender differences); FC carried out statistical analysis and wrote Materials and methods (3.3 Modelling strategy), Results (4.2 Multivariate analysis), and Conclusions, limitations, and implications for future research sections.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Daniele Zaccaria .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Tsinghua University, Beijing, China

    Qin Gao

  2. Chongqing University, Chongqing, China

    Jia Zhou

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Zaccaria, D., Sala, E., Cretazzo, F. (2023). ICT Use and Loneliness During COVID-19 Pandemic: The Case of European Male and Female Older Workers. In: Gao, Q., Zhou, J. (eds) Human Aspects of IT for the Aged Population. HCII 2023. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 14042. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-34866-2_23

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-34866-2_23

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-34865-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-34866-2

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation