scholarly journals Mental Health Impact of the Confinement Measures During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 952-952
Author(s):  
Claire Pauly ◽  
Valerie Schröder ◽  
Laure Pauly ◽  
Rejko Krüger ◽  
Anja Leist

Abstract Background. Mid-March 2020, with exponentially increasing COVID-19 infections, Luxembourg closed schools and businesses, and declared a crisis (état de crise) to implement confinement measures, including orders to not leave the home unless to fulfill essential needs. The psychological consequences of these policy responses to the pandemic on older people, considered a high-risk group, were unknown at the time. The aim of this study was to use the nationally representative CON-VINCE study that assessed mental health at the height of the confinement measures mid-April 2020, to assess the psychological impact of quarantine on older adults. Method. A total of 451 participants aged 60+ years (55.0% male) filled in the CES-D, the GAD-7 and the 3-item loneliness scale that measured depressive symptoms, level of anxiety, and feelings of social isolation. Results. Mean age was 67.7 years (SD 5.5), average number of school years were 13.1 (SD 3.6). The participants were mainly of Luxembourgish nationality (87.8%), and a majority (69.8%) was married. Clinically relevant depression scores were present in 13.1%, generalized anxiety in 1.8%, and self-perceived isolation in 16.9% of participants. Number of depressive symptoms was associated with perceived isolation (p<0.001) and current exercise levels (p=0.02). Discussion. The rate of older adults with clinically relevant impaired mental health was similar to pre-pandemic levels in Luxembourg, suggesting that negative mental health consequences of the confinement measures were largely absent. Possible explanations are that confinement was considered a universal experience, and that the healthcare system remained functional, unlike in other countries at the time.

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. e001789
Author(s):  
Teresa Alvarez-Cisneros ◽  
Paloma Roa-Rojas ◽  
Carmen Garcia-Peña

IntroductionSeveral studies have argued a causal relationship between diabetes and depression, while others have highlighted that their association is a result of common risk factors. Because Mexico is a country with a high prevalence of diabetes, and diabetes and depression are a frequent comorbidity, we chose this country to investigate the longitudinal relationship of these two conditions, focusing on the influence of demographic, health, and socioeconomic factors which could act as common risk factors for both conditions.Research design and methodsUsing the harmonized Mexican Health and Aging Study, a nationally representative sample of adults older than 50 with a response rate of 93%, we analyzed the longitudinal relationship of diabetes and depressive symptoms using ‘between-within’ random-effects models, focusing on the effect of demographic, socioeconomic and health factors.ResultsWhile older adults with diabetes reported a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms in the four waves of the study, there was no causal longitudinal association between them once controlling for demographic, socioeconomic and health factors (between-effect OR=0.88, 95% CI 0.77 to 1.01; within-effect OR=0.87, 95% CI 0.69 to 1.11).ConclusionsThere is no causal longitudinal association between diabetes and depression; the higher prevalence of depression among older adults with diabetes seems a result of socioeconomic and health factors that are not exclusive to respondents with diabetes but are more frequent in this group. Our results highlight the importance of prevention and control of chronic conditions as well as the role of socioeconomic inequalities in mental health.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 404-404
Author(s):  
Joseph Kim ◽  
Kyuree Kim

Abstract The purpose of this study was to identify the profiles of older adults according to lifestyle. Data for the study were from the 2017 Consumption and Activities Mail Survey (CAMS). CAMS 2017 is a questionnaire mailed to a sub-sample of respondents from the Health and Retirement Study. Participants were limited to older adults 65 and older, and the final sample consisted of 1136 older adults. The sample included 443 men and 693 women. Caucasians comprised 82.0% of the participants. Lifestyle was measured through items assessing the amount of time spent on activities. Due to high skewness, the items were dichotomized, 0=no time spent on activity and 1=time spent on the activity. Latent class analysis (LCA) was performed to identify groups based on lifestyle. LCA is a person-centered approach for identifying unobserved subgroups based on similarity in responses to items. Three lifestyle groups were identified. Group 1 was “Outgoing” with 471 individuals. Group 2 was “Adequate” with 229 individuals. Group 3 was “Inactive” with 436 individuals. An ANOVA was then conducted to assess mean differences in self-rated health, cognition, depressive symptoms, and loneliness for the three lifestyle groups. The “Outgoing” and “Adequate” groups had significantly higher scores on self-rated health and cognition, and in addition, significantly lower scores on depressive symptoms and loneliness compared to the “Inactive” group. No significant differences were observed between the “Outgoing” and “Adequate” groups. An implication from this study is the importance of maintaining an active lifestyle in later life for better mental health and cognition.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 751-751
Author(s):  
Jianyun Wang ◽  
Renyao Zhong ◽  
Yaolin Pei ◽  
Bei Wu

Abstract This study aimed to examine the trajectory of depressive symptoms among Chinese older adults with disabilities and the role of adult children’s support in predicting trajectory classes of depressive symptoms. Data were drawn from three waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (2011-2015). The sample included 1420 disabled older adults age 60+ at the baseline and completed all three waves of the data. Growth mixture model shows two-class depressive symptoms trajectories: the higher risk group (25.49%) and the lower risk group (74.51%). Logistic regression results showed that respondents who received a longer term of adult children’s instrumental support were more likely to be classified in a higher risk group after controlling the covariates (OR=1.184, p<0.05), while financial support and the frequency of contacts were not associated with the increased level of depressive symptoms. The policy implications were also discussed in this study.


2021 ◽  
pp. 003022282110009
Author(s):  
Li Ping Wong ◽  
Sik Loo Tan ◽  
Haridah Alias ◽  
Thiam Eng Sia ◽  
Aik Saw

The COVID-19 pandemic has put a hold on the Silent Mentor Programme (SMP); this pause has not only caused unprecedented challenges for the delivery of medical education but has forced changes in the programme ceremony sessions. We aimed to describe the psychological impact and experiences of family members of silent mentors during the COVID-19 pandemic using qualitative interviews. Many expressed feelings of remorse and unrest about the unprecedented delay of the SMP. The delay increased negative emotions particularly among some elderly family members; however, there was no prominent negative effect on their functional health and well-being. Several participants relayed the belief that the soul cannot rest until the body receives a proper burial while some worried about the deterioration of the physical condition of the mentors. In conclusion, findings provide insights into the importance of not overlooking the mental health implications of delaying the SMP in future outbreaks or crises.


2021 ◽  
pp. 002076402110272
Author(s):  
Dana Alonzo ◽  
Marciana Popescu ◽  
Pinar Zubaroglu-Ioannides

Background: On March 5th, Guatemala declared a ‘State of Calamity’ in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and strict lockdown measures were initiated. The psychological consequences of these measures are yet to be fully understood. There is limited research on the psychological impact of the virus in the general population, and even less focused on Latin America and high-risk communities characterized by poverty, limited mental health resources, and high rates of stigma around mental illness. The goal of this study is to examine the psychological impact of COVID-19 across several highly vulnerable districts in Guatemala. Methods: A semi-structured phone interview was conducted of 295 individuals in multiple districts in Guatemala City to assess self-perceived mental health consequences related to the pandemic. Sociodemographic, medical, and mental health data were collected. Chisquares and t-tests used for categorical and continuous variables, as appropriate, to describe the sample. Binary logistic regressions were estimated to examine associations between sociodemographic characteristics and mental health symptoms (anxiety, stress, depression, burnout, escalation of pre-existing mental health symptoms, and a sense of safety). Results: The results indicate high levels of anxiety and stress in all target communities. Significant differences based on gender, age, and the number of children in the household were identified: women and older adults experience higher rates of stress and anxiety associated with the pandemic; while families with greater number of children experience higher levels of burnout. Conclusion: Contextualizing the current pandemic as a complex emergency can help inform further studies focusing on socioeconomic challenges and higher vulnerabilities as preconditions affecting the impact of the pandemic on mental health. Given the limited available resources for mental health care in Guatemala, informal networks of care may play an important role in meeting the needs of those individuals experiencing increased psychological distress resulting from the pandemic.


2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beth K Jaworski ◽  
Katherine Taylor ◽  
Kelly M Ramsey ◽  
Adrienne J Heinz ◽  
Sarah Steinmetz ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND Although the pandemic has not led to a uniform increase of mental health concerns among older adults, there is evidence to suggest that some older veterans did experience an exacerbation of pre-existing mental health conditions, and that mental health difficulties were associated with a lack of social support and increasing numbers of pandemic-related stressors. Mobile mental health apps are scalable, may be a helpful resource for managing stress during the pandemic and beyond, and could potentially provide services that are not accessible due to the pandemic. However, overall comfort with mobile devices and factors influencing the uptake and usage of mobile apps during the pandemic among older veterans are not well known. COVID Coach is a free, evidence-informed mobile app designed for pandemic-related stress. Public usage data have been evaluated, but its uptake and usage among older veterans has not been explored. OBJECTIVE The purpose of the current study was to characterize smartphone ownership rates among U.S. veterans, identify veteran characteristics associated with downloading and use of COVID Coach, and characterize key content usage within the app. METHODS Data were analyzed from the 2019-2020 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study (NHRVS), which surveyed a nationally representative, prospective cohort of 3,078 U.S. military veterans before and one year into the pandemic. The NHRVS sample was drawn from KnowledgePanel®, a research panel of more than 50,000 households maintained by Ipsos, Inc. Median time to complete the survey was nearly 32 minutes. The research version of COVID Coach was offered to all veterans who completed the peri-pandemic follow-up assessment on a mobile device (n = 814; weighted 34.2% of total sample). App usage data from all respondents who downloaded the app (n = 34; weighted 3.3% of the mobile completers sample) were collected between November 14, 2020 and November 7, 2021. RESULTS We found that most U.S. veterans own smartphones and veterans with higher education, greater number of adverse childhood experiences, higher extraversion, and greater severity of pandemic-related PTSD symptoms were more likely to download COVID Coach. Although uptake and usage of COVID Coach was relatively low (3.3% of eligible participants, n = 34), 50% of the participants returned to the app for more than one day of use. The interactive tools for managing stress were used most frequently. CONCLUSIONS Although the coronavirus pandemic has increased the need for and creation of digital mental health tools, these resources may require tailoring for older veteran populations. Future research is needed to better understand how to optimize digital mental health tools, such as apps, to ensure uptake and usage among older adults, particularly those who have experienced traumas across the lifespan.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 853-866
Author(s):  
Berliany Venny Sipollo ◽  
Mochamad Ali Sodikin

ABSTRAK Pandemi COVID-19 merupakan bencana non alam yang berdampak tidak hanya pada kesehatan fisik saja tetapi berdampak pula terhadap kesehatan jiwa dan psikososial masyarakat. Dampak kesehatan jiwa dan psikososial ini dapat menurunkan sistem imunitas tubuh manusia khususnya kelompok rentan yaitu kelompok lansia. Semakin seseorang merasa cemas yang berlebihan, maka tubuh mengalami kegagalan dalam menghasilkan antibodi untuk melawan virus.. Klien yang terdiagnosis positif COVID-19 merasa sangat takut dengan bayangan kematian, dan secara sosial diisolasi yang akan menimbulkan stigma sehingga mungkin terjadi ansietas dan depresi yang bila berlanjut dapat menyebabkan keputusasaan yang akan memperburuk kondisi fisik. Pemberdayaan generasi muda dalam hal ini adalah siswa SMAN 1 Sumberpucung dalam mendukung kesehatan jiwa dan psikosial lansia, yaitu lansia yang berada dalam keluarga siswa. Metode yang digunakan di masa pandemic COVID-19 dengan kegiatan atau pelatihan DKJPS (Dukungan Kesehatan Jiwa dan Psikososial) dievaluasi selama 1,5 bulan berupa melakukan upaya promosi kesehatan (peningkatan imunitas fisik dan imunitas jiwa) dan pencegahan masalah kesehatan (pencegahan penularan dan pencegahan masalah kesehatan jiwa) yang pada akhirnya disebut sebagai Adaptasi Kebiasaan Baru (AKBmelalui virtual menggunakan zoom dan platform Whatsapp Group Chat dengan metode ceramah, Tanya jawab, diskusi dan demonstrasi. Hasil Jumlah audience: 50 siswa dan jumlah lansia dan pra lansia: 11 orang Kata Kunci : Kesehatan Jiwa, Psikososial, Generasi Muda, Lansia  ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic is a non-natural disaster that has an impact not only on physical health but also on the mental and psychosocial health of the community. This mental and psychosocial health impact can reduce the immune system of the human body, especially vulnerable groups, namely the older adults. The more a person feels excessively anxious; the body fails to produce antibodies to fight the virus. Clients who are diagnosed positive for COVID-19 feel very afraid of the image of death and are socially isolated which will lead to stigma so that anxiety and depression may occur if it continues. Can cause despair that will worsen the physical condition. The empowerment of the younger generation in this case is the students of SMAN 1 Sumberpucung in supporting the mental and psychosocial health of the older adults, which was the older adults who are in the student's family. The method used during the COVID-19 pandemic with DKJPS (Mental Health and Psychosocial Support) activities or training was evaluated for 4 weeks in the form of health promotion efforts (increasing physical immunity and mental immunity) and prevention of health problems (prevention of transmission and prevention of mental health problems. ) which is finally referred to as New Habit Adaptation (AKB through virtual using zoom and the Whatsapp Group Chat platform with the methods of lecturing, question and answer, discussion and demonstration Results Number of audiences: 50 students and the number of older adults and pre-elderly: 11 people Keywords: Mental Health, Psychosocial, Young Generation, Older Adults


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S880-S880
Author(s):  
Zhiyong Lin

Abstract As the processes of urbanization and globalization have intensified across the world, a burgeoning literature has documented the impact of emigration on the health of family members left behind in emigrant communities. Although the association between children’s migration and parental well-being is well documented, few have examined the health implications of children’s migration in the milieu of multiple children and further differentiated between children’s short-term and long-term migration. Therefore, I argue that it is not the geographic locality of a single child but the composition of all children’s location that matters. I further suggest that the impact of children’s migration on parental wellbeing is conditioned on the duration of children’s migration. Using a six waves longitudinal data (2001-2015) collected in rural China, this paper compares mental health (measured as depressive symptoms) trajectories of old adults (aged 60 and older) across different compositions of local and migrant children over a 14-year span. Results from growth curve models show that parents having more migrant children relative to local children experience a more rapid increase in depressive symptoms. In addition, older adults who have their most children migrate away for three or more waves of data have experienced the steepest rate of increase in depressive symptoms. These findings provide new evidence to support the life course processes of mental health disparities among older adults from the perspective of intergenerational proximity.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 251-251
Author(s):  
Kheng Siang Ted Ng ◽  
Shu Cheng Wong ◽  
Glenn Wong ◽  
Ee Heok Kua ◽  
Anis Larbi ◽  
...  

Abstract Despite increasing emphasis on assessing the mental health of older adults, there has been inconclusive evidence on whether depression and psychological well-being (PWB) are fundamentally distinct constructs or representations of the opposite ends of the mental health spectrum. To instantiate either hypothesis, investigation of the associations between mental health scales and biomarkers have been proposed. First, we assessed depressive symptoms and PWB in community-dwelling older adults (N=59, mean age=67) using the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) and Ryff’s Scale of PWB (comprising six sub-scales). We measured a wide range of immune markers employing ELISA and flow cytometry. Subsequently, we used principal component analysis (PCA) to aggregate and derived biomarker factor scores. Lastly, multiple linear regressions were performed to examine the associations between the scales and the derived biomarker factor scores, controlling for covariates. PCA extracted six biomarker factors. Biomarker factor score 1 was significantly associated with PWB (β=-0.029, p=0.035) and the PWB sub-scale, self-acceptance (β=-0.089, p=0.047), while biomarker factor score 4 was significantly associated with the PWB sub-scale, purpose in life (β=-0.087, p=0.025). On the other hand, biomarker factor 6 was significantly associated with SDS (β=-0.070, p=0.008). There were mutually- exclusive associations between the scales with biomarker factor scores, supporting the hypothesis of distinct constructs. Our findings expanded the biomarkers of depression and PWB, deepening understanding of the biological underpinnings of depressive symptoms and PWB. These findings have implications in field work, since researchers could not infer one construct from the other, the examination of both constructs are essential.


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