English Longitudinal Study of Ageing COVID-19 Substudy
Lead Research Organisation:
University College London
Department Name: Epidemiology and Public Health
Abstract
The COVID-19 crisis is having an unprecedented impact on people's lives from the perspectives of their health, psychological wellbeing, social activity, employment and financial circumstances. Older people are at high risk because of the presence of long-term health conditions, problems with mobility, as well as social isolation due to lower levels of internet use compared with the rest of the population. The repercussions of this crisis will be considerable and long-lasting. Research for years to come will need to understand who has been most affected economically and socially, and how policymakers can best help them in the long run. Additionally, researchers need to study the crisis now, and policymakers' responses to it, in order to make future health and social systems more resilient to such events in the future. There is a strong scientific case for collecting data in the time of the crisis within the framework of existing longitudinal data and infrastructure investments that already form a large part of the evidence base when it comes to understanding the links between health, economic welfare, family and social structures. There is an urgent need to monitor these processes in order to identify the extent of adverse experience, to learn how to promote resilience, and to inform policy. ELSA is uniquely positioned to do this for older people.
Our aim is to carry out assessments of a large well characterized sample of men and women aged over 50 who are participants in the long running English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). We will implement an internet assessment of the complete sample (more than 9,000 people), with telephone interviews to ensure people who are not able to use the internet can participate. We will measure experiences of COVID-19, changes in financial circumstances, work and caregiving, mental and physical health, social contact and loneliness, health and social care, stress and worries. The survey will be carried out in June 2020, with a second assessment in September/October. The study will inform policy makers and researchers about the diverse impacts of COVID-19.
Our aim is to carry out assessments of a large well characterized sample of men and women aged over 50 who are participants in the long running English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). We will implement an internet assessment of the complete sample (more than 9,000 people), with telephone interviews to ensure people who are not able to use the internet can participate. We will measure experiences of COVID-19, changes in financial circumstances, work and caregiving, mental and physical health, social contact and loneliness, health and social care, stress and worries. The survey will be carried out in June 2020, with a second assessment in September/October. The study will inform policy makers and researchers about the diverse impacts of COVID-19.
Organisations
Publications
Beach B
(2023)
Associations of cognitive impairment with self-isolation and access to health and care during the COVID-19 pandemic in England.
in Scientific reports
Crawford R
(2020)
Financial consequences of the coronavirus pandemic for older people
Demakakos P
(2021)
Importance of population-based longitudinal studies to understanding the impact of COVID-19.
in Journal of epidemiology and community health
Di Gessa G
(2021)
Changes in health and social well-being in the COVID-19 clinically vulnerable older English population during the pandemic.
in Journal of epidemiology and community health
Di Gessa G
(2022)
Pre-pandemic mental health and disruptions to healthcare, economic and housing outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic: evidence from 12 UK longitudinal studies.
in The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science
Hamilton OS
(2021)
Systemic inflammation and emotional responses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
in Translational psychiatry
Iob E
(2022)
Mental health, financial, and social outcomes among older adults with probable COVID-19 infection: A longitudinal cohort study.
in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Description | This funding has permitted data collection from participants in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Two waves of data collection have been completed, one in June/July and the second in Nov/Dec 2020. Because of lockdown and social distancing, data were collected online or by telephone interview. The response rates have been high (around 75%). Questions were asked about a multiple aspects of the pandemic and lockdown, including COVID-19 infection, other physical health issues, mental health, quality of life, health-related behaviour, income and spending, employment, volunteering and caring, and social isolation and loneliness. Data from the first wave have been deposited in the UK Data Service, and the second wave will be deposited shortly. The survey has provided high quality data on the experience of older people during the pandemic. It will be analysed in detail by multiple users in the future. |
Exploitation Route | This funding has permitted data collection from participants in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Two waves of data collection have been completed, one in June/July and the second in Nov/Dec 2020. Because of lockdown and social distancing, data were collected online or by telephone interview. The response rates have been high (around 75%). Questions were asked about a multiple aspects of the pandemic and lockdown, including COVID-19 infection, other physical health issues, mental health, quality of life, health-related behaviour, income and spending, employment, volunteering and caring, and social isolation and loneliness. Data from the first wave have been deposited in the UK Data Service, and the second wave will be deposited shortly. The survey has provided high quality data on the experience of older people during the pandemic. It will be analysed in detail by multiple users in the future. ELSA is contributing to further research related to COVID-19. It is early days yet. But the value of the study will be enhanced by analysis of the data by other academic researchers and policy analysts. |
Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Financial Services, and Management Consultancy,Healthcare |
Description | The briefing papers on mental health and on pension drawdown and the economic circumstances of older people during the COVID-19 pandemic have been discussed with policy makers at the DHSC, DWP and Treasury. Outside the UK, our findings on mental health have fed into the OECD strategy on mental health and resilience, and have been discussed with academic/policy groups in France and Luxembourg. |
First Year Of Impact | 2021 |
Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Healthcare |
Impact Types | Societal,Economic,Policy & public services |
Description | Informing Government Data and Policy on COVID-19 |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
Impact | The data from the ELSA COVID-19 Substudy has been cited in a number of Government reports on the impact of the pandemic on health, wellbeing and economic cirsumstances. The referenced report is one example |
Description | ELSA COVID-19 Substudy overview video |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | This is a video which we made for any type of interested audience. The video gives an overview of ELSA COVID-19 Substudy and is available in the ELSA YouTube channel. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.elsa-project.ac.uk/covid-19-training-videos |
Description | ESRC-GRS COVID-19 Actionable Insight Seminar |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | I presented data on family responses to the pandemic across generations, building on ESRC-funded research |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Interview for national news |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | News story in the Telegraph based on Dr Paola Zaninotto's report: "Multimorbidity, access to services and diagnosis of new health conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic." |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/06/18/one-eight-over-50s-had-operation-cancelled-last-year/ |
Description | Interview for national news |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | ITV news report based on Dr Georgia Chatzi's (University of Manchester) report "Differences in subjective and objective social isolation and subjective loneliness before and during the COVID-19 pandemic." |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.itv.com/news/granada/2021-07-27/older-people-in-poorer-areas-twice-as-likely-to-be-lonel... |
Description | Interview for national news |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Report in the Daily Mail based on Dr Georgia Chatzi's (University of Manchester) report "Differences in subjective and objective social isolation and subjective loneliness before and during the COVID-19 pandemic." |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-9828393/Older-people-poor-areas-twice-likely-feel-lonel... |
Description | Interview for national news |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Report in The Independent based on Dr Georgia Chatzi's (University of Manchester) report "Differences in subjective and objective social isolation and subjective loneliness before and during the COVID-19 pandemic." |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/older-elderly-lonely-isolated-lockdown-b1890791.html |
Description | Interview for national news |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Report in The Evening Standard based on Dr Georgia Chatzi's (University of Manchester) report "Differences in subjective and objective social isolation and subjective loneliness before and during the COVID-19 pandemic." |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/england-university-college-london-women-elsa-adults-b947770.html |
Description | Presentation on COVID-19 and inequality to French economists |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | This online presentation was part of the Journées de l'Economie and addressed socioeconomic inequalities in mental health during the pandemic |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Presentation to UCL staff, undergraduates, postgraduates |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | More than 50 UCL staff and students attended an online seminar given by Dr Paola Zaninotto "The experiences of older people during the COVID-19 pandemic in England" |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Press release |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Press release titled 'People with prior mental ill health hit harder by pandemic disruption' from a published analysis led by a member of my team, Dr Giorgio Di Gessa. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.elsa-project.ac.uk/post/people-with-prior-mental-ill-health-hit-harder-by-pandemic-disru... |
Description | Press release |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | WalesOnline news story based on Dr Georgio Di Gessa's published analysis: Pre-pandemic mental health and disruptions to healthcare, economic, and housing outcomes during COVID -19: evidence from 12 UK longitudinal studies |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/depression-linked-higher-risk-pandemic-21718003 |
Description | Talk to the British Society of Gerontology |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Dr Paola Zaninotto gave the presentation "The English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA): recent developments and findings from the COVID-19 substudy" as part of the session "Research into Ageing Update: Longitudinal ageing studies" for the British Society of Gerontology conference. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Webinar to the OECD concerning socioeconomic inequalities in mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | This Webinar was part of a series run by the OECD on experiences during the pandemic, and stimulated international policy briefings |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.oecd.org/wise/events/covid-and-inequality-webinars.htm |