COVID19: Technology, Social Connections, Loneliness & Leisure Activities

This study led by Dr Hannah R. Marston and Dr Sarah Earle, and will use a 65-survey deployed online across mailing lists, and social media platforms to reach as many people as possible.

The online survey is now closed.

Publications, outputs, and research evidence

  1. Marston, H.R., Ko, P-C., Prabhu, V.G., Freeman, S., Ross, C., Sharaievska, I., Browning, MHEM., Earle, S., Ivan, L., Kanozia, R., Çalıkoğlu, H.Ö., Arslan, H., Bilir-Koca, B., Silva, P.A., Buttigieg, S.C., Großschädl, F., & Schüttengruber, G. (2023). Digital Practices by Citizens During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings From an International Multisite Study. JMIR Ment Health 2023;10:e41304
    doi: 10.2196/41304
  2. Chidiac, M., Ross, C., Marston, H.R., & Freeman, S. (2022). Age and Gender Perspectives on Social Media and Technology Practices During the COVID-19 Pandemic. IJERP; 19(21), 13969; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192113969
  3. Marston, H.R., Ivan, L., Fernández-Ardèvol, M., Rosales Climent, A., Gómez-León, M., Blanche, D., Earle, S., Ko, P.C., Colas, S., Bilir, B., Öztürk Çalıkoğl., Arslan, H., Kanozia, R., Kriebernegg, U.,  Großschädl, F., Reer, F., Quandt, T., Buttigieg, S.C., Alexandra Silva, P., Gallistl, V., & Rohner, R. (2020). COVID-19: Technology, Social Connections, Loneliness & Leisure Activities: An International Study Protocol. Front. Sociol; 5:574811. doi: 10.3389/fsoc.2020.574811
  4. Marston, H.R., et al., (2020) – Research Evidence#1 LBCO224 – Life beyond COVID. 18th September 2020, COVID-19 Committee. Written evidence (page 11). All evidence is available via this weblink. https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/460/covid19-committee/publications/written-evidence/?page=1

The aims of the COVID19_Tech study

  • Explore technology use, behaviour by citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Explore how citizens use technology to connect with COVID-19 support groups
  • Explore how citizens use technology to share information during COVID-19 pandemic
  • Explore the health and wellbeing of citizens during COVID-19 relating to loneliness, and digital health literacy
  • Explore how sharing information, may differ across different citizens
  • Explore the thoughts of citizens relating to a National Emergency Alert system
  • Explore the behaviour and narratives of users who are using technology to maintain social connections, build new connections during COVID-19 pandemic

RQ1 – How does technology impact social connections, loneliness, & leisure activities during COVID-19?

Consortium members

Project Lead

Dr Hannah R. Marston – Health and Wellbeing Strategic Research Area (Open University, UK)

Co-leads

  1. Dr Sarah Earle – Health and Wellbeing Strategic Research Area (Open University, UK)
  2. Dr L. Ivan – National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA), Bucharest, Romania.
  3. Professor S. Buttigieg – Department of Health Sciences Management, University of Malta.
  4. Dr PC Ko – Centre for University Core, Singapore University of Social Science, Singapore.
  5. Drs M. Fernández-Ardèvo, D. Blanche Tarragό, A. Rosales Climent, M. Gomez Leon – CN&SC research group, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Spain.
  6. Dr V. Gallistl, Hanna Kottl – Department of Sociology, University of Vienna.
  7. Professor Ulla Kriebernegg – Age and Care Research Group, University of Graz, Austria.
  8. Dr Franziska Großschädl, Gerhilde Schüttengruber – Nursing Science and Age and Care Research Group, Medical University Graz, Austria.
  9. Dr Felix Reer & Professor Thorsten Quandt, Department of Communication, University of Munster, Germany.
  10. Dr Rubal Kanozia – Department of Mass Communication and Media Studies, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, India.
  11. Drs Halime Öztürk Çalıkoğlu, Hasan Arslan, Burcu Bilir – Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Turkey.
  12. Dr Paula Alexandra Silva – CISUC | DEI, University of Coimbra, Portugal.
  13. Drs Matthew Browning & Iryna Sharaievska – Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism Management (PRTM), Clemson University, USA.

For more information email: Hannah.Marston@open.ac.uk

Ethics approval

​HREC/3551/MARSTON.

Reimbursement

None.

Funding

This project is not externally funded.

Communications and press releases

    This study has been rolled out across several countries

    Various flags

    English: Technology, social connections, loneliness and leisure activities

    Principle investigator & Lead: Dr Hannah R. Marston, Health and Wellbeing Strategic Research Area, The Open University. Hannah.Marston@open.ac.uk

    Romania: covid-19: Tehnologie, relații sociale, singurătate & activități de petrecere a timpului liber

    Această cercetare este condusă, în Marea Britanie, de Dr. Hannah R. Marston & Dr. Sarah Earle, iar în România, colectarea datelor este condusă de Dr. Loredana Ivan, Facultatea de Comunicare și Relații Publice, SNSPA, București  (loredana.ivan@comunicare.ro)

    Español: Estudio sobre tecnología digital, conexiones sociales, soledad y actividades de ocio

    Esta investigación la desarrolla el grupo de investigación CNSC de la Universitat Oberta de Catalunya  bajo la coordinación de la Dra. Mireia Fernández-Ardèvol. Si tiene alguna pregunta sobre el proyecto de investigación puede contactar con ella por correo electrónico: cnsc@uoc.edu

    Català: Estudi sobre tecnologia digital, connexions socials, solitud i activitats d’oci

    Aquesta recerca la desenvolupa el grup de recerca CNSC de la Universitat Oberta de Catalunya sota la coordinació de la Dra. Mireia Fernández-Ardèvol. Si teniu alguna pregunta sobre el projecte de recerca podeu contactar amb ella per correu electrònic: cnsc@uoc.edu

    COVID-19: Technologies, relations sociales, solitude & loisirs

    Vous pouvez également contacter la coordinatrice nationale de l’étude à l’adresse mail suivante: etudecovid19.sophiecolas@gmail.com

    2019 冠状病毒下的数码科技使用、社会链结、孤独感与休閒活动之研究

    或是此研究的新加坡合作者 柯佩均博士（pcko@suss.edu.sg) 新跃社科大学 Singapore University of Social Sciences (可使用中文）

    COVID-19: Technologie, soziale kontakte, einsamkeit & freizeitaktivitäten!

    Deutschland: Für weitere Informationen wenden Sie sich bitte an Dr. Felix Reer (felix.reer@uni-muenster.de), Universität Münster, Institut für Kommunikationswissenschaft.

    Österreich: Für weitere Informationen zur Befragung in Österreich wenden Sie sich bitte an Frau PD Dr. Franziska Großschädl (franziska.grossschaedl@medunigraz.at), Medizinische Universität Graz (https://www.medunigraz.at) und Age and Care Research Group Graz (http://ageandcare.uni-graz.at)

    India (Hindi and English)

    Assistant Professor Rubal Kanozia, Department of Mass Communications and Media Studies, Central University of Punjab, City Campus, India. rubal.kanozia@cup.edu.in

    Malta

    More For queries or questions please contact the Professor Sandra Butigieg, Head of the Department of Health Services Management, at the University of Malta: sandra.buttigieg@um.edu.mt

    COVID-19: Tecnologia, relações sociais, solidão e atividades de lazer (versão português europeu)

    Para qualquer dúvida ou questão, por favor contacte a Dra. Paula Alexandra Silva do Departamento de Engenharia Informática, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, da Universidade de Coimbra através do email paulasilva@dei.uc.pt

    COVID-19: Teknoloji, sosyal bağlantilar, yalnizlik ve boş zaman etkinlikleri

    İletişim: Lütfen sorularınız için e-posta gönderiniz. Dr. Halime Öztürk Çalıkoğlu halimeozturk@comu.edu.tr Dr. Burcu Bilir burcubilir@comu.edu.tr