Changes in Social Network Size and Older Adults’ Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Molly Copeland, Gerald Nowak, Hui Liu, Department of Sociology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Department of Sociology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Department of Sociology and Center on Aging and the Life Course, Purdue University, West Lafayette

Journal of Applied Gerontology

Published online on October 28, 2025

Abstract

Journal of Applied Gerontology, Volume 45, Issue 9, Page 1732-1742, September 2026.
Structural characteristics of older adults’ social networks, including network size, affect mental and physical health, while health conditions can also spur changes in network size. Understanding these patterns is particularly important during a global ...