Table 5.
Wave 1 ordinary least squares regression of sociodemographic characteristics and use of technology regarding loneliness scores.
| Variable | Coefficienta (SE) | ||
| Age group (reference: 18-29 years) |
|
||
|
|
30-39 years | 0.170 (0.61) | |
|
|
40-49 years | 0.722 (0.62) | |
|
|
50-59 years | 0.459 (0.71) | |
|
|
≥60 years | −0.378 (0.87) | |
| Gender (reference: female) |
|
||
|
|
Male or nonbinary/refused to answer | −0.045 (0.39) | |
| Education level (reference: primary or less than high school) |
|
||
|
|
High school | −2.756 (0.94)b | |
|
|
Bachelor’s degree | −3.622 (0.90)c | |
|
|
Master’s/professional degree | −3.981 (0.88)c | |
|
|
PhD | −4.073 (0.95)c | |
| Marital status (reference: having a partner) |
|
||
|
|
Divorced/separated/widowed | 0.568 (0.67) | |
|
|
Single | 2.441 (0.48)c | |
| Employment status (reference: working) |
|
||
|
|
Retired | −0.883 (1.01) | |
|
|
Not working (out of a job or due to other reasons) | 1.045 (0.49)d | |
| Residence (reference: metropolitan/city) |
|
||
|
|
Rural | −0.025 (0.58) | |
|
|
Small town | 0.959 (0.53) | |
|
|
Suburban | 0.564 (0.48) | |
| Number of people living in the home environment (reference: 1) |
|
||
|
|
2 | 0.094 (0.61) | |
|
|
3 | −0.674 (0.67) | |
|
|
4 | −0.368 (0.68) | |
|
|
≥5 | −0.223 (0.79) | |
| Number of social media apps used (reference: 0) |
|
||
|
|
1-2 | −0.549 (0.98) | |
|
|
3-4 | −0.852 (0.98) | |
|
|
≥5 | −0.799 (1.06) | |
| Joining a specific online COVID-19 community support group on social media (reference: no) |
|
||
|
|
Yes | −0.44 (0.43) | |
aAdjusted R2=0.059.
bP<.01.
cP<.001.
dP<.05.