Levels of Loneliness and Mental Health in Older Adults across Ethnic Groups During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the UK

COVID-19 disproportionately affected individuals from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds, with increased infection rates, higher illness severity, and mortality. Research before the COVID-19 pandemic also highlighted increased mental health needs and other significant health inequalities, complex comorbidities, and socioeconomic inequities within BAME populations.1,2 It is therefore imperative to understand the impact of COVID-19 on mental health for older BAME populations, who have been woefully underrepresented in studies examining the effects of the pandemic.