Articlehybrid2020

Are older adults also at higher psychological risk from COVID-19?

María Paz García‐Portilla · L. De La Fuente Tomas · Teresa Bobes-Bascarán · Luis Jiménez Treviño · Paula Zurrón Madera · María Suárez Álvarez +4 more

126 citations0/0 files storedAging & Mental Health

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COVID-19 and Mental Health Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum COVID-19 Prevention and Impact

Abstract

Objective Given the lack of information on the psychological impact of COVID-19 on people aged ≥60, we aimed to describe their psychological responses to this pandemic and lockdown situation and compare them with those under 60 years of age.Methods Secondary analysis of a larger online cross-sectional study designed to determine the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown across Spain. We analyzed a total of 1690 respondents aged ≥60 years and compared them with 13,363 respondents under 60 years of age. We employed the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale and the Impact of Event Scale to evaluate psychological responses.Results In all, 52.6% of women and 34.3% of men were found to be probable cases of any emotional distress (p < 0.001). In both sexes, the most common psychological response was avoidance behavior (34.7% and 23.8%, respectively), followed by depression (28.5 and 14.2%). Older women and men were considered probable cases of any emotional distress less often than younger ones (women: 52.6% vs. 72.3%, p < 0.001; men: 34.3% vs. 50.6%, p < 0.001). Finally, the results of the binary logistic regression showed that only depressive and stress responses are psychological factors associated with age group [age ≥ 60 years, O.R. = 0.617 (95% CI = 0.501 − 0.759) and 0.437 (95% CI = 0.334 − 0.573), respectively].Conclusion Contrary to our hypothesis and despite the high percentage of emotional distress we found in older adults, especially women, they are actually at lower risk of developing depressive and stress consequences from COVID-19 and lockdown than those under 60 years of age. That said, we believe our results highlight the need for expert guidance in this age group, especially older women living alone.

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References

2020The psychological impact of quarantine and how to reduce it: rapid review of the evidence 2020Immediate Psychological Responses and Associated Factors during the Initial Stage of the 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Epidemic among the General Population in China 1919The American Psychological Association 2014Resilience definitions, theory, and challenges: interdisciplinary perspectives 2020Social disconnectedness, perceived isolation, and symptoms of depression and anxiety among older Americans (NSHAP): a longitudinal mediation analysis 2020COVID-19 and the consequences of isolating the elderly 2007Post-traumatic stress disorder following disasters: a systematic review 2015Loneliness as a Public Health Issue: The Impact of Loneliness on Health Care Utilization Among Older Adults

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2021A longitudinal study of mental health before and during COVID-19 lockdown in the French population 2021COVID-19-related social support service closures and mental well-being in older adults and those affected by dementia: a UK longitudinal survey 2021A review on the COVID-19-related psychological impact on older adults: vulnerable or not?2022The Protective Role of the Internet in Depression for Europeans Aged 50+ Living Alone

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