Context Matters: Internet Usage and Loneliness Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Objectives
Later life is often categorized by higher-than-average levels of loneliness, but individual differences are vast and not well understood. Emerging evidence indicates that broad-based contextual factors such as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic—and the use of the internet throughout—are differentially associated with the experience of loneliness. We, therefore, target internet usage and loneliness among middle-aged and older adults during the pandemic and examine the moderating role of age, gender, and limiting illness therein.

Methods
We applied hierarchical regression models to data from the COVID-19 substudy Wave 1 (June/July 2020) of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (N = 4,790; Mage = 70.2; standard deviation = 9.0; range: 50–90; 43.5% male).

Results
Infrequent internet use was associated with less loneliness compared with very frequent users—an association that strengthened with age. Conversely, the purpose of internet use was associated with more loneliness, with higher levels exhibited by those searching for health-related information—an effect stronger among those with a limiting illness.

Discussion
Findings imply that infrequent internet use may reduce loneliness, while health-related internet searches may increase loneliness among older adults with different physical capacities. Findings are contrary to prepandemic reports, underscoring the importance of broad-based contextual factors for understanding loneliness across adulthood and old age.