Does internet use worsen old-age loneliness during pandemics? A gendered analysis of the SHARE data

Abstract Despite internet use potentially reducing loneliness among older adults during the Covid-19 pandemic, quantitative research in this area is limited. Our study addresses this gap by exploring how internet use affects loneliness worsening in old age across Europe from a gendered perspective. We adopt a comprehensive approach, considering individual and contextual factors. Using multi-level modelling, we analyse data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (Wave 8 and Corona Survey 1), supplemented by the Oxford Covid-19 Government Response Tracker and the Eurostat Digital Agenda Scoreboard Key Indicators. The empirical analysis has revealed gender-specific differences in the relationship between internet use and the worsening of loneliness among older people during the pandemic, with internet use contributing to increased loneliness for older women, but not for men. In addition, our study indicates that while the contextual factors, namely the severity of the contingency measures and the quality of the internet connection, are not moderators of the relationship between internet use and loneliness worsening, the stringency index specifically exacerbates loneliness in women. These findings contribute to the development of more effective and targeted interventions to combat loneliness worsening and promote wellbeing among older women, particularly in the context of global health crises such as the Covid-19 pandemic.