Influences of public health emergency and social isolation on older adults’ wellbeing: evidence from a longitudinal study

Abstract

Previous research has identified social isolation as a significant detriment to the wellbeing of older adults. However, studies that consider endogenous issues are scarce. The present paper examines the impact of the recent exogenous shock, the COVID-19 pandemic on the wellbeing of the older adult population using a longitudinal dataset from China for the period 2016–2020. The results of this study indicate that the life satisfaction of Chinese older adults was negatively affected, e particularly in regions where social distancing measures were more strictly enforced. Declines in physical and mental health were found to be attributable to declines in life satisfaction. Those who experienced greater exposure to the pandemic were more likely to suffer from chronic disease, illness, and insomnia, and many found it challenging to complete tasks during the lockdown. Furthermore, heterogeneity estimation shows that these effects are stronger among the rural older adult, females, those without a spouse, and those with less education.