Page 99 - IJPS-11-5

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

Buenos Aires. Institutionalized older adults, as well as responses solely on experiences from the previous
those with cognitive and hearing impairments, were 7 days, and the questionnaire included both closed and
excluded from the sample. open-ended questions. The questionnaire had a total of
In the first wave, 356 cases were surveyed, followed by 57 questions, of which 49 were closed and 8 were open-
332 cases in the second wave and 322 cases in the third ended. The survey covered a range of topics, including
wave, resulting in a final retention rate of 90% relative to sociodemographic characteristics, housing and place of
the initial sample. A total of 322 individuals participated residence, activities performed inside and outside the
in all three waves, constituting the final sample, which home, types of assistance received, interest in COVID-19-
had sociodemographic characteristics comparable to the related news, methods of accessing information, medical
older adult population of Buenos Aires. Data collection check-ups, perceived health status, specific questions
was conducted through telephone interviews over a related to symptomatology, physical activity, fear of
span of 63 days, coinciding with the period of highest contracting COVID-19, volunteer activities, loneliness,
recorded COVID-19 cases in 2020. The initial calls began disability, and post-pandemic suggestions.
nd
on the 92 day of social isolation, and the final calls were To capture the emotional impact of the COVID-19
th
completed on the 155 day, with an average of 25 days pandemic, we designed questions exploring individual’s
between the first and second waves and 16 days between experiences of fear, loss, and personal challenges. Each
the second and third waves. question aimed to elicit specific aspects of participants’
The recruitment process was conducted in two stages internal responses, revealing both immediate concerns
using a combination of techniques. Initially, a snowball and the broader effects of social isolation. Through this
sampling method was employed, complemented by the approach, we sought to understand how individuals
intentional selection of cases from underrepresented areas perceived and coped with the threat of infection, the sense
of the city. Snowball sampling was applied as a contact of loss, and the challenges introduced by the health crisis.
method rather than a strict sampling strategy, in line with When asking the question, “During the past week, did
recommendations from Atkinson and Flint (2001). This you have a fear of getting infected with COVID-19?” we
process started with a list of 100 reference individuals who aimed to explore the level of fear individuals experienced
were tasked with identifying potential respondents. These regarding the possibility of contracting the virus. This
respondents, in turn, provided further contacts, following question was designed to assess the emotional response
predefined criteria of location, sex, and educational level to and health-related concerns individuals might have had
ensure diversity. about the potential risk of infection. Similarly, by asking
Despite the effective recruitment process, a total of 34 the question, “Think of one word to describe what you
individuals dropped out across the three waves: 24 cases lost in this situation,” we sought to capture a succinct and
between the first and second waves and 8 cases between meaningful expression of the sense of loss. This approach
the second and third waves. Reasons for discontinuation aimed to uncover the range and nature of losses individuals
included loss of interest, health issues, inability to re-establish may have encountered during the lockdown period. By
contact, family problems, lack of time due to work, distrust asking the question, “Why did you choose this word?”
regarding the potential political use of the data, and family we aimed to delve deeper into the respondent’s reasoning
disapproval of continued participation. However, most behind the selected word describing a sense of loss. This
participants demonstrated a strong willingness to answer question sought to uncover the individual’s specific
all questions, honored their commitment to participate in thoughts, emotions, and experiences associated with the
all three waves, and expressed interest in the study’s topic. chosen word, as well as its connection to their perception
Preliminary findings, focusing on the development of a well- of the pandemic’s impact on their life.
being scale as well as emotions and sentiments, have been
previously published (Llovet et al., 2021; Llovet et al., 2022). 2.3. Coding
We conducted a coding process to organize and interpret
2.2. Survey questionnaire participants’ emotional responses across three waves of

For each wave of the study, an online form was generated data collection. Participants shared their feelings and
and completed by the interviewers responsible for data emotions in response to the extended isolation, varying
collection. In the second and third waves, the questionnaire from brief to more detailed expressions. Successive coding
was modified by removing sociodemographic items and stages were established to systematically analyze and
adding new ones related to disability and loneliness, organize this information. Given the interpretative nature
respectively. Participants were instructed to base their of coding and following the procedures formulated by

Volume 11 Issue 5 (2025) 93 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.5686