The longitudinal impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on participants from the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study

to investigate the impact of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic on older Hispanic adults.

A total of 522 participants (or their family member, if deceased) from the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study were asked whether they had been diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2, across 2 survey phases. In phase 1 (May - Aug 2020, n=497), participants answered survey questions related to SARS-CoV-2 exposure, diagnosis, and transmission and 5 family members reported deaths. In phase 2, participants were again surveyed (January - June 2021; n=420, and 2 family members reported deaths). SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis and/or death apparently from SARS-CoV-2 was self-reported.

In 2020, 5.2% reported that they had been SARS-CoV-2 positive; by June 2021, a cumulative 11.0% reported having been SARS-CoV-2 positive (including cases and deaths in the first survey). A total of 7 participants (1.3%) reportedly died from SARS-CoV-2. Language acculturation was significantly lower among participants with SARS-CoV-2 (13.7 ± 17.9) vs. without SARS-CoV-2 (20.0 ± 21.4; P = 0.049). Mean length of return to usual health was 28 ± 38 days (range: 0-210 days; median = 15 days). Depressive symptomatology was significantly lower during the pandemic (CES-D score: 13.4 ± 11.6) compared to the same participants pre-pandemic (17.8 ± 11.7; P = 0.001). Compared to the months before the pandemic, 32% (n=135) of participants reported greater communication with friends and family, and 41% (n=172) reported no change.

Public health models should be personalized to communities, considering their unique structures and cultural beliefs. Social resiliency may be key for future programmatic responses to pandemics to reduce the mental health burden.