Dr Yi SUN, Member of the Research Institute for Land and Space (RILS) and Assistant Professor of the Department of Building and Real Estate at PolyU, and his research teammates have found that the pandemic, particularly the associated social distancing rule, has negative impacts on elderlies’ mental health and lifestyle. Studies also reveal that the use of mobile apps seems have positive effects on mitigating those negative changes in elderlies’ daily life.
The project examines the relationship between mobile app use and loneliness among Hong Kong’s older adults during the pandemic. The team finds that the use of video entertainment, instant communication, and information apps is positively associated with lower emotional loneliness. However, their findings provide an insight with no relationship between mobile app use and social loneliness. This also contributes to a deeper understanding that the space, as well as its incorporated activities and social relations, is essential for people to develop positive interpersonal relations. Urban planning in the post-COVID era should consider both the quality and characteristics of various urban spaces in boosting social interactions and solidarity among citizens.
The study has been published in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health at https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/13/7656
| Research Units | Research Institute for Land and Space |
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