Title: The Effects of Social Isolation on Wound Healing among Older Adults during COVID-19 Pandemic
Name: Bayan Alqam
Primary Presenters: Bayan Alqam, Sandeep Gopalakrishnan
College of Nursing
Research Doctorate (PhD)
Faculty Sponsor(s): Sandeep Gopalakrishnan
The Effects of Social Isolation on Wound Healing among Older Adults during COVID-19 Pandemic
Bayan M. Alqam and Sandeep Gopalakrishnan
College of Nursing, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, USA.
Abstract:
Background: Social isolation is a common phenomenon among older adults which defined as discontinuing from interactions with society members. During the COVID-19 disease pandemic, social isolation increased dramatically due to the policies of physical distancing to control the disease. In the published literature related to wound healing, there is a limitation in studying the effects of social isolation on healing wounds among older adults, and most of the studies used different animals’ models and in vitro approaches which were poorly translated to human healing conditions. Purpose: The aim of this pilot study is to examine the feasibility of studying the effects of social isolation on wound healing among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design will be used. The study will be conducted at AZH Wound and Vascular Centers in Milwaukee, WI. The sample size is 20 participants. Saliva is the biomarker that will be collected and analyzed by Salimetric device to measure the wound healing process, while the social isolation will be measured using the Social Disconnectedness and Perceived Isolation Scales. Results: Data will be analyzed using Multinomial Logistic Regression for predicting the wound healing process by using several explanatory variables such as social isolation, social support, wound types, and demographic variables such as age and gender. Conclusions: Our study findings will demonstrate the significance of social isolation in wound healing in older adults during a pandemic.
Keywords: wound healing, social isolation, pandemic, older adults.