scholarly journals Care Challenges Due to COVID-19 and Mental Health Among Caregivers of U.S. Adults With a Chronic or Disabling Condition

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda N Leggett ◽  
Alicia Carmichael ◽  
Natalie Leonard ◽  
Jeannette Jackson ◽  
Matthias Kirch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Caregiver Mental Health ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Related Stress

Abstract Background and Objectives The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic poses new challenges for caregivers of adults with chronic or disabling conditions. This study uses nationally representative data to examine the prevalence of pandemic care challenges and supports and their associations with caregiver mental health and interpersonal well-being. Research Design and Methods Participants include 311 caregivers aged 50–80 in the United States who were providing care for an adult with a chronic or disabling condition from the June 2020 National Poll on Healthy Aging. Five care challenges (e.g., confusion on public health guidelines) and 2 supports (e.g., physician offered information on care during COVID-19) are treated as predictors of caregiver mental health (care-related stress, self-reported mental health, and depressive symptoms) and interpersonal well-being (interpersonal conflicts, lack of companionship, and isolation). Results Each care challenge/support was endorsed by 13%–23% of caregivers. In adjusted models, difficulty getting needed medical care was associated with greater caregiver stress, depressive symptoms, and lower interpersonal well-being. All care challenges universally predicted greater caregiver stress. Caregiving supports were not independently associated with caregiver’ mental health and interpersonal well-being. Discussion and Implications Care challenges were associated with caregivers’ mental health and interpersonal well-being during the early months of the pandemic. Some of these challenges may be attributed to changing public health guidelines and practices as the pandemic unfolded, whereas others are relevant to all care contexts (e.g., less support from family). Tools and supports for caregivers must consider both changing policies and care needs.

scholarly journals Caregiving Challenges During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings From the National Poll on Healthy Aging

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 178-178
Author(s):  
Alicia Carmichael ◽  
Natalie Leonard ◽  
Jeannette Jackson ◽  
Erica Solway ◽  
Matthias Kirch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Medical Care ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
National Poll ◽  
Caregiver Mental Health ◽  
Nationally Representative

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic posed new challenges for caregivers. This study examines the prevalence of pandemic care challenges (e.g., decreasing care to reduce virus spread, difficulty accessing medical care) and their associations with caregiver mental health and interpersonal well-being in a nationally representative sample of 311 caregivers who participated in the June 2020 National Poll on Healthy Aging. We consider seven care challenges and supports as key predictors of caregiver mental health (care-related stress, self-reported mental health, three depressive symptoms) and interpersonal well-being (lack of companionship, isolation) in bivariate tests and ordinary least squares regressions. Each care challenge/support was endorsed by between 13-23% of caregivers. Difficulty getting needed medical care was the most predictive challenge associated with increased caregiver stress, depressive symptoms, and worsened interpersonal well-being. All care challenges predicted an increase in caregiver stress. Effective caregiver tools and supports must consider changing policies and care needs, especially during a pandemic.

scholarly journals Race Differences in COVID-19 Stress and Social Isolation: Implications for Depressive Symptoms

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 513-513
Author(s):  
Akari Oya ◽  
Angela Turkelson ◽  
Courtney Polenick ◽  
Karen Fingerman ◽  
Kira Birditt
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Minority Groups ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Race Differences ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Related Stress ◽  
Racial Ethnic ◽  
Over Time

Abstract The experience of the COVID-19 pandemic may vary widely by race. This study examined race differences in pandemic-related stress, social isolation and the implications for well-being. Participants included 1260 adults (45% women) ages 18 to 97 from the May and June 2020 nationally representative Survey of Consumers and 562 who completed a 6 month follow up in November/December. A total of 76% were White, 10% were Black, 3% were Asian, and 11% were Hispanic. Participants reported experiences of pandemic-related stress, social isolation and depressive symptoms in the last month. Analyses showed that minority groups reported greater pandemic related stress that had negative implications for depressive symptoms over time. The implication of social isolation for the stress-depressive symptoms link also varied by race. Overall this study showed racial inequities in the implications of COVID-19 pandemic and that reducing social isolation may only be beneficial for certain racial/ethnic groups.

Urban and Rural Differences in Trajectories of Depressive Symptoms in Later Life in the United States

2020 ◽  
pp. 073346482097252
Author(s):  
Na Sun ◽  
Cassandra L. Hua ◽  
Xiao Qiu ◽  
J. Scott Brown
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Growth Curve Analysis ◽  
Urban Residence ◽  
Latent Growth Curve Analysis ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
The Relationship

Objective: This research has two primary goals: to examine the relationship between urban residence and trajectories of depressive symptoms and to investigate whether this relationship differs by social isolation and loneliness. Method: Data are from 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2016 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults aged 51+ ( n = 3,346 females and 2,441 males). We conduct latent growth curve analysis to predict both baseline and trajectories of depression based on urban or rural residency. Results: Residing in urban or rural areas is neither significantly associated with baseline nor the development of late-life depressive symptoms. For females, the relationship between urban residence and baseline depressive symptoms is explained by socioeconomic factors. Discussion: Findings of this study serve to better understand how social and geographic contexts shape long-term well-being of older adults.

scholarly journals Persistent Food Insecurity Is Associated with Adverse Mental Health among Women Living with or at Risk of HIV in the United States

2019 ◽  
Vol 149 (2) ◽  
pp. 240-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily L Tuthill ◽  
Lila A Sheira ◽  
Kartika Palar ◽  
Edward A Frongillo ◽  
Tracey E Wilson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
United States ◽  
At Risk ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Depression Score ◽  
Living With Hiv ◽  
Mental Well Being

Abstract Background Food insecurity and mental health negatively affect the lives of women in the United States. Participants in the Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) provided the opportunity to understand the association of food insecurity with depression and mental well-being over time. Objective We investigated the association between current and persistent food insecurity and depression among women at risk of or living with HIV in the United States. Methods We used longitudinal data from the WIHS, a prospective cohort study in women at risk of or living with HIV from multiple sites in the United States. Participants completed 6 semiannual assessments from 2013 to 2016 on food security (FS; high, marginal, low, and very low) and mental health (i.e., depressive symptoms and mental well-being). We used multiple regression analysis to estimate the association between these variables. Results Among 2551 participants, 44% were food insecure and 35% reported depressive symptoms indicative of probable depression. Current marginal, low, and very low FS were associated with 2.1-, 3.5-, and 5.5-point (all P < 0.001) higher depression scores, respectively. In models adjusting for both current and previous FS, previous marginal, low, and very low FS were associated with 0.2-, 0.93-, and 1.52-point higher scores, respectively (all P < 0.001). Women with very low FS at both time points (persistent food insecurity) had a 6.86-point higher depression score (P < 0.001). In the mental health models, there was a dose-response relation between current FS and worse mental health even when controlling for previous FS (all P < 0.001). Previous low FS was associated with worse mental health. These associations did not differ by HIV status. Conclusions Food insecurity placed women at risk of depression and poor mental well-being, but the risk was substantially higher for women experiencing persistent food insecurity. Future interventions to improve women's mental health call for multilevel components that include addressing food insecurity.

scholarly journals Psychological Distress and Access to Care Among Midlife Women

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 317-327
Author(s):  
Pamela Jo Johnson ◽  
Judy Jou ◽  
Dawn M. Upchurch
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
The United States ◽  
Midlife Women ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Interview Survey ◽  
Unmet Health Care Needs ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Using Data

Objective: The objective of this study is to examine unmet health care needs among midlife women (ages 50-64 years) in the United States by level of psychological distress. Method: Using data for a nationally representative sample of midlife women ( N = 8,838) from the 2015-2016 National Health Interview Survey, we estimated odds ratios of reasons for delayed care and types of care foregone by level of psychological distress—none, moderate (moderate psychological distress [MPD], and severe (severe psychological distress [SPD]). Findings: More than one in five midlife women had MPD (15.3%) or SPD (5.2%). Women with MPD or SPD had 2 to 5 times higher odds of delayed and 2 to 20 times higher odds of foregone care. Conclusions: Midlife women with psychological distress have poorer health than those with no distress, yet they are less likely to get needed health care. There is a missed window of opportunity to address mental health needs and manage comorbid chronic conditions to facilitate healthy aging.

scholarly journals Moderation of Physical Health on Emotional Health Among Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 458-458
Author(s):  
Yuqin Jiao ◽  
Nathaniel Riggs ◽  
Loriena Yancura ◽  
Aimee Fox ◽  
Christine Fruhauf
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Emotional Health ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Indirect Evidence ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren ◽  
Physical And Mental Health

Abstract An estimated 69.5 million older adults in the United States report being grandparents. It is also evident that the number of grandparents raising grandchildren among them is increasing. Although caring for their grandchildren often provides grandparents a sense of purpose and increased life satisfaction, unexpected responsibilities of parenting worsen the already challenging experience of aging (e.g., potential for poor physical and mental health). Thus, it is essential to study the well-being of grandparents raising grandchildren. Links between depressive symptoms and emotional health have been widely studied in previous research. However, limited research has focused on physical health as a potential moderator, despite indirect evidence shown that more depressive symptoms may be observed among those with worse physical health conditions. To address this, we used Optum® SF-36v2® Health Survey to collect physical- and mental-health data and Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D-10) to collect information on depressive symptoms in 137 grandparents raising grandchildren (age 40-83) before, immediately after, and six months after a six-week intervention focused on self-care practices. The presence of more depressive symptoms indicated worse emotional health. Physical health moderated these associations at all three time points, such that depressive symptoms were less strongly related to emotional health if grandparents self-reported better physical-health scores. These findings have important implications for future intervention studies. The importance of good physical health practices for grandparents raising grandchildren is evident, including increased physical engagement and better pain management.

scholarly journals Depression and loneliness during COVID-19 restrictions in the United States, and their associations with frequency of social and sexual connections

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Molly Rosenberg ◽  
Maya Luetke ◽  
Devon Hensel ◽  
Sina Kianersi ◽  
Debby Herbenick
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Low Income ◽  
The United States ◽  
Social Connections ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Us ◽  
Prevalence Of Depression ◽  
Nationally Representative

Purpose: To estimate the prevalence of depression and loneliness during the US COVID-19 response, and examine their associations with frequency of social and sexual connections. Methods: We conducted an online cross-sectional survey of a nationally representative sample of American adults (n=1010), aged 18-94, running from April 10-20, 2020. We assessed depressive symptoms (CES-D-10 scale), loneliness (UCLA 3-Item Loneliness scale), and frequency of in-person and remote social connections (4 items, e.g. hugging family member, video chats) and sexual connections (4 items, e.g. partnered sexual activity, dating app use). Results: One-third of participants (32%) reported depressive symptoms, and loneliness was high [mean (SD): 4.4 (1.7)]. Those with depressive symptoms were more likely to be women, age 20-29, unmarried, and low-income. Frequent in-person connections were associated with lower depression and loneliness; frequent remote connections were not. Conclusions: Depression and loneliness were elevated during the early US COVID-19 response. Those who maintained frequent in-person, but not remote, social and sexual connections had better mental health outcomes. While COVID-19 social restrictions remain necessary, it will be critical to expand mental health services to serve those most at-risk and identify effective ways of maintaining social and sexual connections from a distance.

scholarly journals The unfolding COVID-19 pandemic: A probability-based, nationally representative study of mental health in the United States

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (42) ◽  
pp. eabd5390 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Alison Holman ◽  
Rebecca R. Thompson ◽  
Dana Rose Garfin ◽  
Roxane Cohen Silver
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
United States ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Acute Stress ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
The United States ◽  
Representative Study ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Mental And Physical Health ◽  
Over Time

The COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic is a collective stressor unfolding over time; yet, rigorous empirical studies addressing its mental health consequences among large probability-based national samples are rare. Between 18 March and 18 April 2020, as illness and death escalated in the United States, we assessed acute stress, depressive symptoms, and direct, community, and media-based exposures to COVID-19 in three consecutive representative samples from the U.S. probability-based nationally representative NORC AmeriSpeak panel across three 10-day periods (total N = 6514). Acute stress and depressive symptoms increased significantly over time as COVID-19 deaths increased across the United States. Preexisting mental and physical health diagnoses, daily COVID-19–related media exposure, conflicting COVID-19 information in media, and secondary stressors were all associated with acute stress and depressive symptoms. Results have implications for targeting public health interventions and risk communication efforts to promote community resilience as the pandemic waxes and wanes over time.

scholarly journals Perceptions of Public Health Priorities and Accountability Among US Mayors

2020 ◽  
pp. 003335492096605
Author(s):  
Luisa Godinez Puig ◽  
Katharine Lusk ◽  
David Glick ◽  
Katherine L. Einstein ◽  
Maxwell Palmer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care Access ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Health Priorities ◽  
Local Policy ◽  
Public Health Challenges ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Survey Responses

Objective Mayors have considerable and often direct influence over health policy in their cities, yet little is known about mayors’ general perceptions of current public health challenges. The objective of this study was to assess perceptions, attitudes, and priorities related to public health among US mayors. Methods We collected survey data from a nationally representative sample of US mayors (N = 110) in 2018 and matched survey responses with city-level health surveillance data. We conducted descriptive analyses and multivariable regression modeling to estimate associations of interest. Results Mayors in our sample most frequently cited obesity/chronic diseases (23.6%; 26 of 110), opioid abuse/drug addiction (22.7%; 25 of 110), and health care access (13.6%; 15 of 110) as the top health challenges facing their cities. However, mayors identified a different set of health issues for which they believed constituents hold them accountable. With the exception of opioid-related deaths, prevalence of a health concern was not associated with perceived accountability for that particular issue, whereas partisanship and sex predicted patterns in perceived accountability. Conclusions Mayors recognized critical health challenges at the city level but varied widely in their perceived accountability for such challenges. Findings can inform strategies to engage local policy makers in cross-sector collaborations to improve the health and overall well-being of people in cities across the United States.

scholarly journals Testing Predictive Factors of Depressive Symptoms among Grandparents under the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 804-804
Author(s):  
Yuqin Jiao ◽  
Christine Fruhauf
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Conceptual Model ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Protective Role ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Related Stress ◽  
Mental Well Being ◽  
Health And Well Being

Abstract An estimated 69.5 million Americans are reported to be grandparents. Among them, about 10% are raising grandchildren and the number of grandparents who are raising grandchildren (GRG) is increasing. Previous research on GRG suggests that the unexpected caregiving duties may lead to negative physical and mental health including more depressive symptoms when compared to non-caregiving grandparents (NGRG). Additionally, grandparent-grandchild relationships determined by emotional availability (EA) of the grandparent may be impacted. These factors might further be complicated, especially as it relates to the health and well-being of GRG, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, the overarching goal of this presentation is to use the biopsychosocial model to present a conceptual framework to test the mental well-being of GRG during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this presentation, we will 1) summarize appropriate literature on GRG; 2) share a COVID-19 health and well-being assessment survey designated for GRG in order to assess their health before and since the COVID pandemic; and 3) propose a conceptual model to investigate and test the protective role of physical activity and GRG’s EA in the grandparent-grandchild relationship for the mental health of GRG. In our model, we argue that GRG experience more COVID-19 pandemic-related stress and more depressive symptoms when compared to NGRG. This proposed conceptual model offers one way to test the predictors of depressive symptoms on GRG. Future testing has the potential to shed new light on the development of appropriate intervention programs tailored to maintain the mental health of GRG.

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