Impact of Social Technology Use on Loneliness, Relationship Quality, and Health Among Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study investigated the impact of social technology use on health outcomes through loneliness and relationship quality among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analyzing data from the 2020 Health and Retirement Study COVID-19 Project, we conducted a structural equation model analysis to assess the effects of social technology use on loneliness, relationship quality, and physical and cognitive health outcomes, with a validated index construct of social technology use. Our findings revealed that more frequent social technology use was significantly associated with younger age, being male, being of White race/ethnicity, and living with a spouse/partner. Higher levels of social technology use and positive relationship quality were related to lower feelings of loneliness, respectively. Loneliness mediated the impact of social technology use on physical and cognitive health outcomes. These results underscore the importance of adopting social technology to enhance the psychological well-being of vulnerable older adults, especially during health crises.