Describing the Function, Disability, and Health of Adults and Older Adults during the Early Coronavirus Restrictions in 2019: An Online Survey

Pegah Derakhshan, William C. Miller (), Jaimie Borisoff, Elham Esfandiari, Sue Forwell, Tal Jarus, Somayyeh Mohammadi, Isabelle Rash, Brodie Sakakibara, Julia Schmidt, Gordon Tao, Noah Tregobov and William Ben Mortenson
Additional contact information
Pegah Derakhshan: GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z2G9, Canada
William C. Miller: GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z2G9, Canada
Jaimie Borisoff: International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9, Canada
Elham Esfandiari: GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z2G9, Canada
Sue Forwell: GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z2G9, Canada
Tal Jarus: Graduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
Somayyeh Mohammadi: GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z2G9, Canada
Isabelle Rash: GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z2G9, Canada
Brodie Sakakibara: Graduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
Julia Schmidt: GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z2G9, Canada
Gordon Tao: GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z2G9, Canada
Noah Tregobov: GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z2G9, Canada
William Ben Mortenson: GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z2G9, Canada

Disabilities, 2022, vol. 2, issue 4, 1-13

Abstract: The restrictions in 2019 due to Coronavirus impacted Canadians’ daily living, especially those at higher risk of compromised health conditions. This study aimed to describe the physical, psychological, and social well-being of adults with disabilities, and older adults from May to June 2020. Participants from the group of community-dwelling adults (≥19 years of age), who communicated in English, lived in British Columbia, and had Internet access via a computer, tablet, or smartphone with special focus on populations who had stroke, spinal cord injury and other disabilities were included. For measurement outcomes, an online survey was used to administer standardized measures of level of participation, mobility, anxiety and depression, boredom, resilience, technology readiness, social support, and social networks. Seventy-two participants were recruited, with a mean age (SD) of 61.2 (13.8). This study was comprised of two groups: the adult group consisted of individuals with disabilities under the age of 65 (48.6%) and the older adult group consisted of individuals over the age of 65 with and without self-identified disability (51.4%). There was no significant difference in the proportion of participation restriction between adult (83%) and older adult’ (81%) groups ( p = 0.69). In the study population, 27.8% and 16.7% of participants exceeded the anxiety and depression cut-off scores, respectively. Boredom was experienced by 76.4% of participants. Participants’ mean (SD) resilience and life space scores were 72.4 (14.0) and 51.9 (24.0), respectively. The older adults (≥65 years) showed significantly lower depression ( p = 0.012) and better resilience ( p = 0.038), social support ( p = 0.043), and social network ( p = 0.021) than the younger adults. Issues with anxiety, boredom, participation, and life space activity were identified in both study groups. This information may provide supporting evidence when creating policies to mitigate existent health and social inequities.

Keywords: COVID-19; spinal cord injury; disability; stroke; well-being; social isolation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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