Page 97 - IJPS-11-5

International Journal of
Population Studies Older adults, gender, and emotions during pandemic

measures. These included a mandatory preventive social phenomenon. Emotions are deeply embedded in social
isolation that began on March 20 and lasted for 8 months. interactions and cultural norms, shaping how individuals
The restrictions – closing schools, workplaces, and public perceive and react to threats. Fear emerges in contexts of
spaces, and severely limiting mobility – were among the perceived powerlessness or vulnerability, with inequalities
strictest globally (Porcher, 2020). While these measures in societal structures at its core (Kemper, 1987; Barbalet,
effectively slowed the virus’s spread, they disrupted 1998). During the COVID-19 pandemic, this emotion
everyday life and imposed profound psychological and was heightened by the uncertainty surrounding the
social costs across demographic groups. virus’s spread, coupled with the dislocation of social and
Older adults were disproportionately affected by economic systems.
the COVID-19 pandemic across different geographical In Buenos Aires, the dense urban environment and strict
levels (Bonanad et al., 2020). In Argentina, between lockdown measures amplified these dynamics. Research by
February and July 2020, individuals aged 60 and older Etchevers et al. (2020) documented the psychological toll of
accounted for 81.5% of total COVID-19 deaths (Rearte prolonged isolation, noting increases in anxiety, loneliness,
et al., 2020), confirming the heightened vulnerability of and frustration among diverse populations. For other
this age group. This pattern was even more pronounced national contexts (e.g., the United States or South Africa),
in Buenos Aires City, where individuals aged 65 and emotional responses were not evenly distributed; women,
older represented 87% of COVID-19-related deaths individuals from lower socio-economic backgrounds, and
nationwide in 2020 (Carpinetti & Lascano, 2022). These those with preexisting vulnerabilities reported heightened
data reaffirm that both at the South American, national, distress (Fitzpatrick et al., 2020; Manderson & Levine,
and local levels, older adults constituted the most affected 2020). Such findings align with Brooks et al.’s observation
demographic group, with men being the most affected by (2020) that social isolation, compounded by economic
mortality, highlighting their disproportionate risk during uncertainty and fear of infection, disproportionately
the pandemic (PAHO, 2020). This demographic trend impacts marginalized groups.
mirrored global patterns, where older adults were most
vulnerable to severe illness and death (United Nations, 1.2. Gendered dimensions of fear
2020). Yet, paradoxically, the emotional toll of the The gendered nature of fear during the pandemic offers
pandemic often weighed heavier on women, who a critical area for analysis. Studies consistently showed
consistently reported higher levels of fear and anxiety than that women reported higher levels of fear and anxiety
men (Capraro & Barcelo, 2020; Kleinberg et al., 2020). than men, often linked to their roles as caregivers and
This emotional disparity highlights the role of gendered emotional managers within families (Hochschild,
expectations and caregiving roles, which amplify women’s 1983; Brody, 1999). In Buenos Aires, this disparity was
perceptions of vulnerability during crises. evident early in the lockdown, with women expressing
greater concerns about health risks, economic instability,
1.1. Fear as a sociological phenomenon and disruptions to social connections (Alomo et al.,
Fear, a dominant emotional response to the pandemic, 2020). These findings reflect broader patterns observed
provides a lens through which the interplay between globally, where women’s emotional labor and societal
individual experiences and societal structures is examined. expectations contribute to their heightened vulnerability
Brooks et al. (2020) emphasize that quarantine settings to psychological distress (Capraro & Barcelo, 2020;
amplify fear and anxiety by fostering uncertainty, Kleinberg et al., 2020).
isolation, and disrupted routines. Their review highlights Fitzpatrick et al. (2020) argue that gendered responses
how prolonged lockdowns can exacerbate psychological to fear are influenced by cultural norms and structural
distress, particularly when compounded by fears of inequalities. Women’s roles as caregivers often place
infection and economic instability. Similarly, Fitzpatrick them at the intersection of multiple stressors, including
et al. (2020) identify COVID-19-related fear as a managing family health, navigating financial pressures, and
multifaceted construct, which encompasses not only health sustaining social bonds. This emotional labor exacerbates
concerns but also worries about financial security, family feelings of fear and anxiety, as women perceive themselves
dynamics, and societal change. These findings illustrate as responsible for mitigating the pandemic’s impacts on
the complexity of fear as both an adaptive and maladaptive their families. In contrast, men’s fear responses are often
emotional response. suppressed or redirected due to cultural norms associating

Drawing on Bericat’s sociology of emotions (2016), masculinity with stoicism and control (Bericat, 2016;
fear can be understood as both a relational and structural Burkitt, 2002).

Volume 11 Issue 5 (2025) 91 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.5686