scholarly journals A Comparison of Mental Health in a Sample of Older Women Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 722-722
Author(s):  
Victoria Marshall ◽  
Robina Sandhu ◽  
Kathryn Kanzler ◽  
Sara Espinoza ◽  
Pamela Keel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Binge Eating ◽  
Positive Affect ◽  
Older Women ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Psychological Resilience ◽  
Global Crisis ◽  
Two Samples

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has substantially impacted lives globally. Due to age-related risks, the older adult population has uniquely experienced negative changes caused by the pandemic. Research has also shown that the pandemic has disproportionately affected women. Therefore, it is important to understand how the mental health of older women has been impacted during this global crisis. This study aims to examine the differences in mental health indices in a sample of older women before versus during the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, participants include 201 women (aged 60-94) who completed an online survey of self-report measures assessing depression, anxiety, alcohol use, binge eating, positive affect, and emotional quality of life (QOL). We conducted one-way ANOVAs to compare each mental health construct in two samples of older women collected pre- and peri-pandemic. Results indicated that the peri-pandemic group reported significantly higher anxiety (F = 5.25, p = .02), with a trend for more role limitations due to emotional problems (F = 2.79, p = .09), than the pre-pandemic group. No significant differences emerged for levels of depression, alcohol consumption, binge eating, positive affect, or emotional wellbeing between groups. These findings point to the psychological resilience of older adults in the face of extreme adverse events, including this global crisis. Older women, while impacted differently during the COVID-19 pandemic, reported minimal exacerbations of mental health problems compared to older women pre-pandemic. Efforts to identify moderators that may either attenuate or promote further psychological resilience among older adults is warranted.

scholarly journals Social Isolation in Older Women during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The impact on Quality of Life and Mental health

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 745-745
Author(s):  
Victoria Marshall ◽  
Robina Sandhu ◽  
Kathryn Kanzler ◽  
Sara Espinoza ◽  
Pamela Keel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Binge Eating ◽  
Older Women ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Sf 36 ◽  
The Impact

Abstract To mitigate the spread of COVID-19, countries worldwide enacted quarantines, particularly for older adults, as mortality from COVID-19 is inequitably distributed among this group. Notably, social isolation in older adults is associated with a heightened risk of cardiovascular, autoimmune, and mental health problems (e.g., depression, anxiety). Furthermore, the mental health of women in particular has been greatly impacted by the pandemic. Although previous research indicates that social isolation among older adults is a “serious public health concern”, less is known about the extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated this issue. The primary objective is to investigate the effects of social isolation on mental health indices and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in older women in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants include 77 postmenopausal women (aged 60+) who completed self-report measures online during the COVID-19 pandemic. Controlling for education and annual household income in all analyses, we used linear regression models to investigate the effects of social isolation on depression, anxiety, alcohol use, binge eating, and the 8 domains of the SF-36. Results indicate that, when controlling for education and income, social isolation significantly predicted depression, binge eating, and poorer HRQOL in all 8 domains of the SF-36 (all p’s < .01) Social isolation did not predict anxiety and alcohol consumption when controlling for these sociodemographic variables. Enrollment is ongoing; this poster will report updated results. Results indicate the continued need for creative avenues to improve social connectedness during the COVID-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals Time Use, Gender, and Mental Health of Older Adults in Rural China

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 863-863
Author(s):  
Zhiyong Lin ◽  
Feinian Chen
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Older Women ◽  
Time Use ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Socially Isolated

Abstract Time use is considered a valuable descriptor of people’s lifestyles, and studying how people spend their time is critical for understanding the determinants and consequences of individual well-being. In this study, we first develop a time use typology to characterize how older adults in rural Chinese families allocate their time in later life, and then examined how older adults’ time allocation influenced their mental health, with a special focus on differential implications for older women and men. Data derived from 2015 and 2018 waves of a longitudinal study of 1,007 older adults, aged 60 and older, living in rural areas of Anhui Province, China. We specifically focused on how social and solitary dimensions of time use, as well as time spent within and outside households, impacted depressive symptoms of older adults. Using the K-means cluster analysis, we identified four time use categories: “work-oriented,” “socially-active,” “homemaker/ caretaker,” and “socially-isolated.” Results from fixed-effects regression analysis demonstrated that older women involved in “socially-active” time-use category tended to report better mental than those in other time-use types, while the time spent on housework and caregiving was harmful to their mental health. For older men, more time spent on paid activities outside households (“work-oriented”) was associated with better psychological outcomes while solitary leisure time (“socially-isolated”) was associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms. These findings will be helpful for health policymakers and practitioners who seek to better identify vulnerable subpopulations and to design effective intervention strategies to reduce mental health problems.

Reminiscence functions scale: factorial structure and its relation with mental health in a sample of Spanish older adults

2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (9) ◽  
pp. 1521-1532 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Ros ◽  
J. C. Meléndez ◽  
J. D. Webster ◽  
T. Mayordomo ◽  
A. Sales ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Factor Model ◽  
The Self ◽  
The Other ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Factorial Structure

ABSTRACTBackground:The reminiscence functions scale (RFS) is a 43-item self-report instrument designed to assess the use of reminiscence for different functions. This study aims, on one hand, to analyze the factorial structure and the psychometric properties of the RFS and, on the other, to examine the relationship between the functions of reminiscence and mental health.Methods:RFS scale and measures of depressive symptomology, despair, and life satisfaction were administered to a sample of persons over the age of sixty (n = 364).Results:After eliminating three conflictive items from the original scale, the confirmatory factor analysis results present a factorial structure comprising eight traditional factors and adequate reliability scores (from 0.73 to 0.87). Using structural equation modeling, we find that these reminiscence factors are organized in three second-order factors (self-positive, self-negative, and prosocial). Results show that the self-positive factor relates negatively and the self-negative factor relates positively with symptoms of mental health problems.Conclusions:These results, on one hand, confirm that the RFS scale is a useful instrument to assess reminiscence functions in a sample of Spanish older adults and, on the other, that the three-factor model of reminiscence is a better predictor of mental health than the alternative four-factor model.

scholarly journals Urinary Incontinence: Its Assessment and Relationship to Depression among Community-Dwelling Multiethnic Older Women

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luciana Laganà ◽  
David William Bloom ◽  
Andrew Ainsworth
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Urinary Incontinence ◽  
Older Women ◽  
Culturally Diverse ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Ethnically Diverse ◽  
Community Dwelling

Urinary Incontinence (UI) affects many older adults. Some of its deleterious consequences include stress, major depression, diminished quality of life, sexual dysfunction, and familial discord. Of the various mental health problems identified in the literature as being comorbid with UI, the most notable one continues to be depression. Despite a wealth of research contributions on this topic, the available literature is underrepresentative of ethnic minority older women. Culture has been shown to have a significant impact on a woman’s perception of her own UI symptoms; this demonstrates the necessity for the recruitment of ethnically and culturally diverse samples when studying UI. In the present study, we determined the prevalence of UI among 140 community-dwelling, ethnically diverse older women (28.2%), discovered that our new UI screener is reliable, and did not find the UI-depression link to be significant. The clinical and research implications of our findings are discussed.

Mental health correlates of demonstrated smartphone expertise in community dwelling older adults (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Mohlman ◽  
William Tsang ◽  
Sofia Alba Magee ◽  
Lauren Dalokay ◽  
Corey Hannah Basch
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Common Mental Health Problems ◽  
Anxiety Depression ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

BACKGROUND There is a pressing need to integrate mobile technology into the treatment of common mental health problems of later life such as anxiety and depression. However, adults over the age of 65 vary greatly in their mastery of smartphones. OBJECTIVE This study characterizes an older community-dwelling sample in terms of their varying levels of demonstrated smartphone expertise relative to anxiety, depression, and self-perceived proficiency in using technological (tech) devices. METHODS A 20-step behavioral smartphone challenge task, the Smartphone Task for Older Adults, was used to evaluate older adults’ knowledge of a range of smartphone functions. RESULTS Findings diverge in potentially meaningful ways from previous studies using self-report measures of tech expertise. Scores on the task were relatively low and partly replicated the digital divide, but also indicate negative relations of demonstrated smartphone expertise with specific variants of anxiety and in-vivo frustration, rather than anxiety or depression more generally. CONCLUSIONS Tech-related anxiety and frustration while attempting new smartphone functions may characterize the current cohort of older adults who have not effectively mastered use of smartphones. Implications for smartphone training tailored to this older subgroup are discussed.

scholarly journals Perceived need for treatment and non-utilization of outpatient psychotherapy in old age: two cohorts of a nationwide survey

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Gellert ◽  
Sonia Lech ◽  
Eva-Marie Kessler ◽  
Wolfram Herrmann ◽  
Susanne Döpfmer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
General Health Status ◽  
Outpatient Psychotherapy ◽  
Need For Treatment ◽  
Perceived Need ◽  
Rural Residency ◽  
Perceived Need For Treatment

Abstract Beackground Older adults with mental health problems may benefit from psychotherapy; however, their perceived need for treatment in relation to rates of non-utilization of outpatient psychotherapy as well as the predisposing, enabling, and need factors proposed by Andersen’s Model of Health Care Utilization that account for these differences warrant further investigation. Methods We used two separate cohorts (2014 and 2019) of a weighted nationwide telephone survey in Germany of German-speaking adults with N = 12,197 participants. Across the two cohorts, 12.9% (weighted) reported a perceived need for treatment for mental health problems and were selected for further analyses. Logistic Generalized Estimation Equations (GEE) was applied to model the associations between disposing (age, gender, single habiting, rural residency, general health status), enabling (education, general practitioner visit) non-utilization of psychotherapy (outcome) across cohorts in those with a need for treatment (need factor). Results In 2014, 11.8% of 6087 participants reported a perceived need for treatment due to mental health problems. In 2016, the prevalence increased significantly to 14.0% of 6110 participants. Of those who reported a perceived need for treatment, 36.4% in 2014 and 36.9%in 2019 did not see a psychotherapist – where rates of non-utilization of psychotherapy were vastly higher in the oldest age category (59.3/52.5%; 75+) than in the youngest (29.1/10.7%; aged 18–25). Concerning factors associated with non-utilization, multivariate findings indicated participation in the cohort of 2014 (OR 0.94), older age (55–64 OR 1.02, 65–74 OR 1.47, 75+ OR 4.76), male gender (OR 0.83), lower educational status (OR 0.84), rural residency (OR 1.38), single habiting (OR 1.37), and seeing a GP (OR 1.39) to be related with non-utilization of psychotherapy; general health status was not significantly associated with non-utilization when GP contact was included in the model. Conclusion There is a strong age effect in terms of non-utilization of outpatient psychotherapy. Individual characteristics of both healthcare professionals and patients and structural barriers may add to this picture. Effective strategies to increase psychotherapy rates in those older adults with unmet treatment needs are required.

Self-Report Depression Scales in the Elderly: The Relationship between the CES-D and ZUNG

1989 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 325-338 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce R. Deforge ◽  
Jeffery Sobal
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Sex Differences ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Psychological Symptoms ◽  
Somatic Symptoms ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Common Mental Health Problems ◽  
Depression Scales ◽  
The Relationship

Depression is one of the most common mental health problems in the elderly, but there is little consensus about the best way to assess depression in the aged. The relationship between the CES-D and the ZUNG self-report depression scales was investigated in seventy-eight elderly people with osteoarthritis (mean age 71). The correlation between the scales was r = .69, with the CES-D classifying 15 percent of the participants as depressed, as compared to 6 percent by the ZUNG. Psychological symptoms had the strongest relationship with overall depression scores on both scales. No sex differences were found on psychological items on either scale, but females reported more somatic symptoms on the ZUNG. People over age seventy-four reported more psychological symptoms than their younger counterparts.

Mental Health Problems and Help-Seeking among Adolescents

2021 ◽  
pp. 189-202
Author(s):  
E.V. Rezun ◽  
◽  
H.R. Slobodskaya ◽  
N.B. Semenova ◽  
T.O. Rippinen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Mental Health Care ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Sleep Disturbances ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Emotional And Behavioral Problems ◽  
Seeking Help

The mental health problems among adolescents have long-lasting effects throughout life. However, research evidence indicates that only 10–30% of adolescents who needed mental health care had received specialized help. The present study reports the prevalence of mental health problems and help-seeking among adolescents, taking into account gender and age differences. The sample included 1752 adolescents (47 % boys,) aged 12-17 years. Data were collected on in two Siberian cities (Novosibirsk and Krasnoyarsk) using an international self-report questionnaire developed for the school-based Eurasian Child Mental Health Study. Participants were recruited from 18 schools, students completed questionnaires anonymously during school lessons. Statistical analysis included analysis of variance (ANOVA), multiple regression analysis, and crosstabs using a chi-squared test. The level of emotional and behavioral problems in Siberian adolescents was slightly higher than that found in European and Asian countries. Twenty three percent of adolescents reported frequent headaches (at least once a week), 11 % reported frequent abdominal pain and 14% suffered from frequent sleep disturbances (3–5 times a week or more). Girls reported a significantly higher level of problems than boys, with the largest gender differences for emotional problems, recurrent pains and sleep disturbances. Weekly consumption of alcohol and daily use of nicotine among boys was more common than among girls (3 % and 6 %, respectively), whereas less frequent use of alcohol and nicotine was commoner in girls (16 %) than in boys (10 %); 7 % of boys and girls had tried drugs at least once. Suicidal thoughts were reported by 22 % of adolescents, 6 % reported suicide attempts and 6 % reported repeated self-harm. One third of adolescents considered seeking outside help and 9 % had actually done so. Girls reported more help-seeking than boys; older girls sought help more often than younger and middle-aged ones. Around one third of adolescents sought help from their relatives; 26 % from friends, the Internet or other non-professional sources; 5 % reported seeking help from a doctor or nurse, and 3 % from a psychologist. The most important independent predictors of seeking help were emotional symptoms, suicidal ideation and hyperactivity/inattention. The results suggest a need for future investigation of the factors associated with help-seeking behavior among adolescents. It is also necessary to develop mental health promotion programs for adolescents, interventions to improve mental health literacy and access to mental health care.

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