# Social Distancing and Mental Health in Diverse Aging Populations

> **NIH NIH R24** · RUTGERS BIOMEDICAL/HEALTH SCIENCES-RBHS · 2020 · $390,000

## Abstract

New Jersey has the 2nd highest number of COVID-19 cases and mortality in the US, especially elderly with
vulnerabilities such as Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia (ADRD). Thus, the local governmental
response has drastically altered the daily activities of New Jersey residents, especially through the endorsement
and enforcement of social distancing for the general public. While the theoretical benefits of social distancing
are clear and it is a likely effective tool in reducing the spread of communicable disease like COVID-19, there
are known consequences of isolation and loneliness for older adults, which has been linked to numerous
negative health outcomes. The practice and impact of social distancing contains multiple facets, including the
spaces which it is practiced, the activities it may impact, and the degrees to which it is practiced. NJ residents
have additionally experienced acute racial disparities in relationship to COVID-19 outcomes.
 The objective of this application is to leverage the infrastructure from the New Jersey Minority Aging
Collaborative (R24AG063729) to prospectively quantify the impact of social distancing on mental health in
African American, Hispanic, and Asian aging populations, especially those with cognitive impairment, subjective
memory loss, or Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD). In its first year, the parent grant has made
significant progress in implementing its aims through the establishment and expansion of institutional capacity
to foster academic-community partnerships. Through this parent project, we have additionally begun responses
to continue and expand community engagement throughout the COVID-19 crisis. Through a study of 600
minority older adults (200 African American, 200 Hispanic, and 200 Asian), this administrative supplement aims
to link the infrastructure of the parent grant to understand the practice, experience, and impacts of social
distancing (currently at its height) on mental health among minority older adults through biweekly/monthly
telephone interviews and weekly self-reported (social distancing practice and psychosocial wellbeing) through a
multi-lingual, intuitive, and user friendly survey application.
 This study aims to: 1) Quantify the factors that leads to the adherence to social distancing among
community-dwelling African American, Hispanic and Asian older adults; 2) Quantify the intended and unintended
consequences (hygiene, psychological outcomes, social outcomes) of social distancing in above populations;
and 3) Quantify the independent and potential joint influence of resilience factors (individual and family level)
that might moderate the negative mental health consequences associated with social distancing in above
population of older adults. We will additionally seek to understand the experience of social distancing among
minority older adults with cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia (ADRD) through
additional analyses. In t...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10149707
- **Project number:** 3R24AG063729-02S1
- **Recipient organization:** RUTGERS BIOMEDICAL/HEALTH SCIENCES-RBHS
- **Principal Investigator:** XINQI DONG
- **Activity code:** R24 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $390,000
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2019-09-15 → 2022-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10149707

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10149707, Social Distancing and Mental Health in Diverse Aging Populations (3R24AG063729-02S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10149707. Licensed CC0.

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