COVID-19 health worries and anxiety symptoms among older adults: the moderating role of ageism

ABSTRACTA prominent feature of anxiety in late life is concerns regarding physical health. Anxiety symptoms among older adults have been connected with various psychological outcomes, including social isolation and loneliness. During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, many societies have demonstrated increased ageist attitudes, encouraging older adults to distance themselves from society. Accordingly, the current study examined the moderating role of COVID-19-related ageism in the connection between COVID-19 health worries and anxiety symptoms among older adults. Data were collected from 243 older adults (age range 60–92; M = 69.75, SD = 6.69), who completed scales assessing COVID-19-related health worries and ageism, as well as anxiety symptoms. The results demonstrated that both health worries and ageism were positively associated with anxiety symptoms. Moreover, the connection between health worries and anxiety symptoms was more pronounced among older adults with high ageism levels. The study highlights the vulnerability of older adults in general, and ageist older adults in particular, to the negative consequences of COVID-19-related health worries, and emphasizes the role of the increased ageist stance of society during the pandemic in this regard.

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Healthy retirement begins at school: educational differences in the health outcomes of early transitions into retirement

Ageing and Society ◽

10.1017/s0144686x19000928 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 41 (1) ◽

pp. 137-157 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Kasim Allel ◽

Ana Sofía León ◽

Ursula M. Staudinger ◽

Esteban Calvo

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Physical Health ◽

Fixed Effects ◽

Formal Education ◽

Active Ageing ◽

Childhood And Adolescence ◽

Retirement Timing ◽

Moderating Role

AbstractThe literature on socio-economic variations in the association between retirement timing and health is inconclusive and largely limited to the moderating role of occupation. By selecting the sample case of Mexico where a sizeable number of older adults have no or very little formal education, this study allows the moderating role of education to be tested properly. Drawing on panel data for 2,430 individuals age 50 and over from the Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS) and combining propensity score matching models with fixed-effects regressions, this article investigates differences in the health effects of retirement timing between older adults with varying years of education. Subjective health is measured using a self-reported assessment of respondents’ overall health and physical health as a reverse count of doctor-diagnosed chronic diseases. The results indicate that early transitions into retirement are associated with worse health outcomes, but education fully compensates for the detrimental association with subjective and physical health, while adjusting for baseline health, demographics and socio-economic characteristics. In conclusion, formal education during childhood and adolescence is associated with a long-term protective effect on health. It attenuates negative health consequences of early retirement transitions. Policies and programmes promoting healthy and active ageing would benefit from considering the influence of formal education in shaping older adults’ health after the transition into retirement.

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Benefit-finding buffers the effects of quarantine on older adults’ mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igab046.2674 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 722-722

Author(s):

Fan Zhang ◽

Sheung-Tak Cheng

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Social Isolation ◽

Online Survey ◽

Protective Factor ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Well Being ◽

Benefit Finding ◽

Anxiety Depression ◽

Moderating Role

Abstract Objective Older adults’ health and well-being may suffer due to prolonged social isolation leading to loneliness and increased stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. The current study aimed to address the role of benefit-finding, defined as the capacity to derive meaning and positive aspects from stressful situations, in older adults’ adaptation to the effects of quarantine. Methods 421 participants aged 50 or above in China participated in an online survey to study the effects of quarantine on loneliness, stress, anxiety, depression and life satisfaction, and the moderating role of benefit-finding. Results The results showed that quarantine was basically unrelated to any outcome. Further analysis showed, however, that the effect of quarantine varied by levels of benefit-finding. Only people with lower benefit-finding reported a higher level of loneliness, perceived stress, anxiety and depression, but no relationships were found at higher benefit-finding. Conclusions The findings extended our understanding of the role of benefit-finding in buffering the negative impact of adversity on older people. By mitigating the effects of prolonged social isolation, benefit-finding served as a protective factor in older people’s adaptation to the sequelae of this pandemic.

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Health anxiety, perceived risk and perceived control in following recommended preventive measures during early COVID-19 response in Romania

BJPsych Open ◽

10.1192/bjo.2021.990 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (5) ◽

Author(s):

Simona Ștefan ◽

Liviu Andrei Fodor ◽

Ioana Curt ◽

Andreea Ionescu ◽

Nadina Pantea ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Perceived Control ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Perceived Risk ◽

Preventive Measures ◽

Health Anxiety ◽

Negative Consequences ◽

Key Factor ◽

Pandemic Response ◽

Age Range

Background Compliance with government-recommended preventive measures represents a key factor in mitigating the negative consequences of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Aims The study investigated the relation between health anxiety, perceived risk and perceived control as predictors of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related anxiety and preventive behaviours (both adaptive and dysfunctional/excessive) during the early pandemic response in Romania. Method Data were collected in April–May 2020, and the sample comprised 236 participants, 192 women, mean age 31.44 (s.d. = 10.30, age range 16–67). Results Our results showed that health anxiety and perceived control, but not perceived risk predicted adaptive preventive behaviours, whereas dysfunctional behaviours were predicted by health anxiety alone. COVID-19-related anxiety was predicted by health anxiety and perceived risk, with perceived control emerging as a non-significant predictor. Also, we found that the effect of health anxiety on COVID-19-related anxiety was mediated by perceived risk, and that perceived control acted as a moderator in the relation between health anxiety and dysfunctional (but not adaptive) preventive behaviours. Conclusions Our results suggest health anxiety is a significant predictor of COVID-19-related anxiety and preventive behaviours. Also, adaptive, but not dysfunctional, preventive behaviours were additionally predicted by perceived control, pointing to the important role of control and self-efficacy in explaining adherence to recommendations.

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Ageism and Psychological Distress in Older Adults: The Moderating Role of Self-Esteem and Body Image

Journal of Applied Gerontology ◽

10.1177/07334648211009658 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 073346482110096

Author(s):

Yoav S. Bergman

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Body Image ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Well Being ◽

Self Esteem ◽

Self Image ◽

Physical Consequences ◽

Age Range ◽

Moderating Role

Ageist attitudes have been associated with negative physical consequences and psychological distress among older adults. Although holding a positive self-image and body image contributes to well-being among older adults, their combined effect on the consequences of ageism has not been examined. Accordingly, the current study examines the moderating role of both variables on the connection between ageism and psychological distress among older adults. Data were collected from 383 older adults (age range = 60–90; M = 71.44; SD = 6.62), who filled out scales assessing ageism, self-esteem, body image, and psychological distress. Psychological distress was associated with reduced self-esteem and body image. In line with the moderation hypothesis, the ageism–distress link remained significant only for individuals with low levels of both self-esteem and body image. The discussion highlights the relevance of both self-esteem and body image as important personal resources which may buffer the connection between ageism and psychological distress among older adults.

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Understanding the Critical Role of Alcohol Consumption in the Linkages Among Older Adults' Depressive Symptoms, Leisure Activities, and Physical Health Outcomes

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e625482009-001 ◽

2009 ◽

Author(s):

Rebecca Rueggeberg ◽

Carsten Wrosch ◽

Fatima Amari

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Alcohol Consumption ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Physical Health ◽

Leisure Activities ◽

Critical Role ◽

Physical Health Outcomes

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Negative emotion differentiation and long-term physical health—The moderating role of neuroticism.

Health Psychology ◽

10.1037/hea0000809 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 39 (2) ◽

pp. 127-136

Author(s):

Vincent Y. S. Oh ◽

Eddie M. W. Tong

Keyword(s):

Physical Health ◽

Negative Emotion ◽

Emotion Differentiation ◽

Moderating Role

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COVID-19 lockdown has altered the dynamics between affective symptoms and social isolation among older adults: results from a longitudinal network analysis

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-94301-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Junhong Yu ◽

Rathi Mahendran

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Social Isolation ◽

Anxiety Symptoms ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Depression Symptoms ◽

Network Analyses ◽

Correlation Networks ◽

Affective Symptoms ◽

Tightly Coupled ◽

Community Dwelling Older Adults

AbstractThe COVID-19 lockdown has drastically limited social interactions and brought about a climate of fear and uncertainty. These circumstances not only increased affective symptoms and social isolation among community dwelling older adults but also alter the dynamics between them. Using network analyses, we study the changes in these dynamics before and during the lockdown. Community-dwelling older adults (N = 419) completed questionnaires assessing depression, anxiety, and social isolation, before the COVID-19 pandemic, as part of a cohort study, and during the lockdown period. The total scores of these questionnaires were compared across time. For the network analyses, partial correlation networks were constructed using items in the questionnaires as nodes, separately at both timepoints. Changes in edges, as well as nodal and bridge centrality were examined across time. Depression and anxiety symptoms, and social isolation had significantly increased during the lockdown. Significant changes were observed across time on several edges. Greater connectivity between the affective and social isolation nodes at lockdown was observed. Depression symptoms have become more tightly coupled across individuals, and so were the anxiety symptoms. Depression symptoms have also become slightly decoupled from those of anxiety. These changing network dynamics reflect the greater influence of social isolation on affective symptoms across individuals and an increased vulnerability to affective disorders. These findings provide novel perspectives and translational implications on the changing mental health context amidst a COVID-19 pandemic situation.

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