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Michigan Psychologists Study the Affect of Pandemic Isolation
Photo: IStock
Here in the Mitten State, researchers are studying the affect of pandemic isolation; the risk of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people developing dementia; and how noise and light disrupts bird breeding. Here’s a closer look at these studies:
Who is most affected by pandemic isolation?
People who possess “psychological flexibility” are more likely to avoid becoming depressed or anxious when forced into the kind of isolation brought on by lockdowns and quarantines, researchers at Western Michigan University found. Psychologist Brooke Smith and doctoral student Alex Twohy surveyed 278 people during a three-week period at the height of the pandemic last spring. They found those capable of remaining engaged and active even when confronted with a lonely or uncertain situation fared better. Their research, published in October in the
Study Shows Cognitive Health Disparities Between LGB and Heterosexual Older Adults
By Dr. Marcy Adelman–
Dr. Ning Hsieh, a Michigan State University sociologist, is the lead author of a groundbreaking first study to assess cognitive health disparities between lesbian, gay, bisexual (LGB) and heterosexual older adults using a national sample and validated screening tool.
Her study, Elevated Risk of Cognitive Impairment Among Older Sexual Minorities, found that LGB older adults are more likely to experience mild cognitive impairment or early dementia compared to heterosexual older adults. Although the study looked at several known health factors, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, only one, depression, was a significant contributing factor.