Social isolation during COVID-19 and its effects on the health behaviors of older adults: A mixed-methods social network study

COVID-19 has exacerbated the prevalence of social isolation worldwide. Older adults who are at greater mortality risk to COVID-19 than other age groups have used isolation as a virus prevention strategy. Researchers are only beginning to examine the short- and long-term effects that social isolation during COVID-19 will have on the health and health behaviors of older adults.

In this MSc research, the student will under take a mixed-methods study of the social networks of a sample of Dutch older adults. The student will examine how the social networks of older adults changed during COVID-19 and how those changes may relate to changes in their dietary and physical activity practices. The student will first be introduced to social network methods and sampling designs and then expected to recruit their own sample for their research.

Interested or want to know more? Please contact Spencer Moore (spencer.moore@wur.nl) (add thesiscoordination.hso@wur.nl in the CC).

Duration: 6 months

Language: English / Dutch

Start Date: Flexible