Risk of stress/depression and functional impairment in Denmark immediately following a COVID-19 shutdown

Abstract Background Existing estimates of the impact of the COVID-19 burden on mental wellbeing come from countries with high mortality rates. This study therefore aimed to investigate the impact of the first COVID-19 lockdown (March–April 2020) on risk for stress/depression and functional impairment in a representative sample of adult individuals in Denmark, which had lower infection rates, and whether the impact of lockdown was heterogeneous across living situation. Methods Using a representative, randomly drawn sample from the complete Danish adult population interviewed in March 2 to April 13, 2020 (n = 2836) and again in July 2020 (n = 1526, 54% retention rate), we study how the imposed lockdown announced March 11 following the onset of the first Danish wave of COVID-19 infections affected mental wellbeing. We use the World Health Organization Five Well-being Index (WHO-5) and the Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS) to capture risk for stress/depression (WHO-5 < 50) and functional impairment (WSAS > 10). Using covariate adjusted ordinary least squares linear probability models and exploiting variation in the timing of responses occurring just before and just after the introduction of lockdown, we compare respondents before lockdown to respondents that answered during lockdown, as well as to answers in re-interviews in July. Results In our fully controlled models, we find reduced depressive symptoms among adults immediately after the shutdown, concentrated in adults with children living at home (−.089, p < .01 (from pre lockdown baseline .273)). Measures of functional impairment also declined immediately after the March shutdown among adults with children living at home (−.066, p < .05 (from pre lockdown baseline .150)). Impairment intensified for the entire sample between March and July (+.199, p < .001 (from pre lockdown baseline .248)), but depressive symptoms remained at lower rate in July (−.033, p < .05 (from pre lockdown baseline .332). Conclusions Findings in Denmark indicate that living with children at home may have, in the short term, buffered the potential mental health sequelae of the COVID-19 shutdown.

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Risk of Stress/Depression and Functional Impairment in Denmark Immediately Following a COVID-19 Shutdown

10.1101/2020.12.15.20248251 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Lars H. Andersen ◽

Peter Fallesen ◽

Tim-Allen Bruckner

Keyword(s):

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Social Adjustment ◽

Functional Impairment ◽

Well Being ◽

Ordinary Least Squares ◽

World Health ◽

Living Situation ◽

Linear Probability ◽

The Impact ◽

At Home

Background This study aimed to investigate the impact of the first COVID-19 lockdown (March-April 2020) on risk for stress/depression and functional impairment in a representative sample of adult individuals in Denmark, and whether the impact of lockdown was heterogeneous across living situation. Methods: Using a representative, randomly drawn sample from the complete Danish adult population interviewed in March 2 to April 13, 2020 (n=2,836) and again in July 2020 (n=1,526, 54% retention rate), we study how the imposed lockdown announced March 11 following the onset of the first Danish wave of COVID-19 infections affected mental wellbeing. We use the World Health Organization Five Well-being Index (WHO-5) and the Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS) to capture wellbeing and functioning. Using covariate adjusted ordinary least squares linear probability models and exploiting variation in the timing of responses occurring just before and just after the introduction of lockdown, we compare respondents before lockdown to respondents that answered during lockdown, as well to answers in re-interviews in July. Results: We find reduced depressive symptoms among adults immediately after the shutdown, concentrated in adults with children living at home. Measures of functional impairment also decline immediately after the March shutdown among adults with children living at home. Impairment intensified for the entire sample between March and July, but depressive symptoms remained at lower rate in July. Conclusions: Findings in Denmark indicate that living with children at home may have, in the short term, buffered the potential mental health sequelae of the COVID-19 shutdown.

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Moderating Effect of Psychological Resilience on Functional Impairment in Relation to Subsequent Depression

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.1566 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 484-484

Author(s):

Shinae Choi ◽

Eun Ha Namkung

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Older Adults ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Functional Impairment ◽

Later Life ◽

Well Being ◽

The United States ◽

Ordinary Least Squares ◽

Psychological Resilience ◽

The Impact

Abstract The growing prevalence of functional impairment is a serious concern due to its relation to decreased quality of life in later life. Guided by the social convoy model and the stress process model, the present study investigated whether psychological resilience, particularly optimism and mastery moderated an association between functional impairment and subsequent depressive symptoms in later life. This study used data derived from two population-based national studies in the United States: 2012 and 2016 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (N = 5,035) and 2004 and 2013 waves of the Midlife in the United States (N = 2,476). Ordinary least squares regression was used to estimate the impact of optimism and mastery, respectively, on the associations between functional impairment (baseline measure at wave(t-1), changes over the study period from wave(t-1) to wave(t)) on subsequent changes in depressive symptoms. Across both studies, we found that having and developing functional impairment are related to increased number of depressive symptoms. Optimism independently predicted decreased depressive symptoms over the study periods and buffered the negative effects of functional impairment on depressive symptoms across the two studies. Specifically, the mitigating effects of optimism on depressive symptoms were greater for those with more numbers of functional limitations. The findings suggest that psychological resilience plays a key role in decreasing depressive symptoms, especially for midlife and older adults with functional impairment. The results also demonstrate the importance of examining both optimism and mastery when investigating psychological resilience and emotional well-being in older adults.

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Links Between Chronic Illness and Late-Life Cognition: Evidence From Four Latin American Countries

Journal of Aging and Health ◽

10.1177/0898264316674557 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 30 (2) ◽

pp. 262-304 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Mariana P. Socal ◽

Antonio J. Trujillo

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Decline ◽

Latin American ◽

Chronic Conditions ◽

Survey Methods ◽

Well Being ◽

Ordinary Least Squares ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Probability Models ◽

Linear Probability ◽

The Impact

Objectives: We explored the links between chronic diseases and cognitive ability using datasets of community-dwelling older adults from Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and Uruguay from the SABE (Health, Well-Being, and Aging) survey. Methods: Ordinary least squares (OLS), Tobit and linear probability models, adjusting for extensive health and socio-demographic factors, were implemented separately for men and women and complemented by a series of robustness checks. Results: We find a negative association between the number of chronic conditions and cognitive decline that has the following characteristics: (a) differs across gender, (b) increases with the number of chronic conditions, (c) is larger among those individuals in the bottom of the cognitive distribution, (d) and is different across types of chronic conditions. Discussion: These results suggest that returns from preventive policies to reduce cognitive decline would increase if they were targeted to seniors with chronic conditions and implemented before the impact from multiple comorbidities makes the cognitive decline too steep to be reversed.

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COVID-19 Lockdown: Housing Built Environment’s Effects on Mental Health

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17165973 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (16) ◽

pp. 5973 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Andrea Amerio ◽

Andrea Brambilla ◽

Alessandro Morganti ◽

Andrea Aguglia ◽

Davide Bianchi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Public Mental Health ◽

Interdisciplinary Approach ◽

Well Being ◽

World Health ◽

Design Strategies ◽

Housing Design ◽

Increased Risk ◽

The Impact

Since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus infectious disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak a pandemic on 11 March, severe lockdown measures have been adopted by the Italian Government. For over two months of stay-at-home orders, houses became the only place where people slept, ate, worked, practiced sports, and socialized. As consolidated evidence exists on housing as a determinant of health, it is of great interest to explore the impact that COVID-19 response-related lockdown measures have had on mental health and well-being. We conducted a large web-based survey on 8177 students from a university institute in Milan, Northern Italy, one of the regions most heavily hit by the pandemic in Europe. As emerged from our analysis, poor housing is associated with increased risk of depressive symptoms during lockdown. In particular, living in apartments <60 m2 with poor views and scarce indoor quality is associated with, respectively, 1.31 (95% CI: 1046–1637), 1.368 (95% CI: 1166–1605), and 2.253 (95% CI: 1918–2647) times the risk of moderate–severe and severe depressive symptoms. Subjects reporting worsened working performance from home were over four times more likely to also report depression (OR = 4.28, 95% CI: 3713–4924). Housing design strategies should focus on larger and more livable living spaces facing green areas. We argue that a strengthened multi-interdisciplinary approach, involving urban planning, public mental health, environmental health, epidemiology, and sociology, is needed to investigate the effects of the built environment on mental health, so as to inform welfare and housing policies centered on population well-being.

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Does Adult Day Service Use Improve Well-Being of Black Caregivers of People Living with Dementia?

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igab037 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Lauren J Parker ◽

Laura N Gitlin

Keyword(s):

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Service Use ◽

Well Being ◽

Ordinary Least Squares ◽

Self Report ◽

Least Squares Regression ◽

Dementia Caregivers ◽

The Past ◽

Black Caregivers ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background and Objectives Despite adult day services (ADS) being the most racially diverse home-and-community based service (HCBS), there is a paucity of research that has examined the impact of ADS on well-being measures among Black caregivers of people living with dementia. To address this gap, this study examined the association between the use of ADS and depressive symptoms among Black dementia caregivers. Research Design and Methods Using baseline data from two behavioral intervention trials: Advancing Caregiver Training (ACT, n=72) and Care of Persons with Dementia in their Environments (COPE, n=63), we conducted ordinary least squares regression to examine the association between ADS use in the past six months and depressive symptoms (n=135). The dependent variable, depressive symptoms, was assessed by the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Scale (CES-D). The independent variable was assessed by self-report of ADS use in the past six months. Results Nearly 36% of the sample used ADS in the past six months. After controlling for caregiver characteristics associated with depression (burden, social support, self-rated health, caregiving relationship status, years caregiving, religious/spiritual coping and demographic characteristics), caregivers who utilized ADS had a lowered CES-D score (B= -1.97, p=0.03) compared to those who did not use ADS. Discussion and Implications Black dementia caregivers who utilized ADS had lower depressive symptoms compared to those who did not utilize ADS. ADS may be a critical HCBS that can provide relief to Black caregivers. Research is needed to examine additional benefits of ADS use among Black caregivers, and the policy and programming needed to enhance access to ADS.

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Emotional consequences of COVID-19 home confinement: The ECLB-COVID19 multicenter study

10.1101/2020.05.05.20091058 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Achraf Ammar ◽

Patrick Mueller ◽

Khaled Trabelsi ◽

Hamdi Chtourou ◽

Omar Boukhris ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Online Survey ◽

Well Being ◽

Mental Wellbeing ◽

Remote Work ◽

Emotional Wellbeing ◽

Western Asia ◽

Negative Effect ◽

The Impact

AbstractBackgroundPublic health recommendations and government measures during the COVID-19 pandemic have enforced restrictions on daily living, which may include social distancing, remote work/school, and home confinement. While these measures are imperative to abate the spreading of COVID-19, the impact of these restrictions on mental health and emotional wellbeing is undefined. Therefore, an international online survey was launched on April 6, 2020 in seven languages to elucidate the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on mental health and emotional well-being. This report presents the preliminary results from the first thousand responders on mental wellbeing and mood and feelings questionnaires.MethodsThe ECLB-COVID19 electronic survey was designed by a steering group of multidisciplinary scientists and academics, following a structured review of the literature. The survey was uploaded and shared on the Google online survey platform. Thirty-five research organizations from Europe, North-Africa, Western Asia and the Americas promoted the multi-languages survey through their networks to general society. Of the 64 questions, 7 were from the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (SWEMWBS), and 13 were from the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (SMFQ), which are both validated instruments.ResultsAnalysis was conducted on the first 1047 replies (54% women) from Asia (36%), Africa (40%), Europe (21%) and other (3%). The COVID-19 home confinement had a negative effect on both mental wellbeing and on mood and feelings. Specifically, a significant decrease (p<0.001 and Δ%= 9.4 %) in the total score of mental wellbeing was noted. More individuals (+12.89%) reported a low mental wellbeing “during” compared to “before” home confinement. Furthermore, results from the mood and feelings questionnaire (i.e., depressive symptoms) showed a significant increase by 44.9% (p<0.001) in total score with more people (+10%) developing depressive symptoms “during” compared to “before” home confinement.ConclusionThe ECLB-COVID19 survey revealed an increased psychosocial strain triggered by the enforced home confinement. To mitigate this high risk of mental disorders and to foster an Active and Healthy Confinement Lifestyle (AHCL), a crisis-oriented interdisciplinary intervention is urgently needed.

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Impact of hydroxychloroquin/azithromycin protocol on COVID-19 case-fatality rate reduction in Algeria. (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.20886 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Ahmed Youssef Kada

Keyword(s):

Case Fatality Rate ◽

Doubling Time ◽

Case Fatality ◽

World Health ◽

Fatality Rate ◽

Therapeutic Protocol ◽

First Case ◽

The World ◽

The Impact ◽

At Home

BACKGROUND Covid-19 is an emerging infectious disease like viral zoonosis caused by new coronavirus SARS CoV 2. On December 31, 2019, Wuhan Municipal Health Commission in Hubei province (China) reported cases of pneumonia, the origin of which is a new coronavirus. Rapidly extendable around the world, the World Health Organization (WHO) declares it pandemic on March 11, 2020. This pandemic reaches Algeria on February 25, 2020, date on which the Algerian minister of health, announced the first case of Covid-19, a foreign citizen. From March 1, a cluster is formed in Blida and becomes the epicentre of the coronavirus epidemic in Algeria, its total quarantine is established on March 24, 2020, it will be smoothly alleviated on April 24. A therapeutic protocol based on hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin was put in place on March 23, for complicated cases, it was extended to all the cases confirmed on April 06. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to demonstrate the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquin/azithromycin protocol in Algeria, in particular after its extension to all patients diagnosed COVID-19 positive on RT-PCR test. We were able to illustrate this fact graphically, but not to prove it statistically because the design of our study, indeed in the 7 days which followed generalization of therapeutic protocol, case fatality rate decrease and doubling time increase, thus confirming the impact of wide and early prescription of hydroxychloroquin/azithromycin protocol. METHODS We have analyzed the data collected from press releases and follow-ups published daily by the Ministry of Health, we have studied the possible correlations of these data with certain events or decisions having a possible impact on their development, such as confinement at home and its reduction, the prescription of hydroxychloroquine/azithromycin combination for serious patients and its extension to all positive COVID subjects. Results are presented in graphics, the data collection was closed on 31/05/2020. RESULTS Covid-19 pandemic spreads from February 25, 2020, when a foreign citizen is tested positive, on March 1 a cluster is formed in the city of Blida where sixteen members of the same family are infected during a wedding party. Wilaya of Blida becomes the epicentre of coronavirus epidemic in Algeria and lockdown measures taken, while the number of national cases diagnosed begins to increases In any event, the association of early containment measures combined with a generalized initial treatment for all positive cases, whatever their degree of severity, will have contributed to a reduction in the fatality rate of COVID 19 and a slowing down of its doubling time. CONCLUSIONS In Algeria, the rapid combination of rigorous containment measure at home and early generalized treatment with hydroxychloroquin have demonstrated their effectiveness in terms of morbidity and mortality, the classic measures of social distancing and hygiene will make it possible to perpetuate these results by reducing viral transmission, the only unknown, the reopening procedure which can only be started after being surrounded by precautions aimed at ensuring the understanding of the population. CLINICALTRIAL Algeria, Covid-19, pandemic, hydroxychloroquin, azithromycin, case fatality rate

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Loving Others: The Impact of Compassionate Love on Later-Life Psychological Well-Being

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.1554 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 480-481

Author(s):

Eva Kahana ◽

Tirth Bhatta ◽

Boaz Kahana ◽

Nirmala Lekhak

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Negative Affect ◽

Positive Affect ◽

Emotional Support ◽

Later Life ◽

Well Being ◽

Psychological Well Being ◽

Compassionate Love ◽

The Impact

Abstract Existing scholarship in social gerontology has surprisingly paid little attention to broader loving emotions, such as compassionate and altruistic love, as potentially meaningful mechanisms for improving later life psychological well-being. This study examined the influence of feeling love toward other persons and experiencing love from others on later life psychological well-being. We conducted a 3-wave longitudinal study of a representative sample of 340 ethnically heterogeneous community dwelling older residents of Miami, Florida. The increase in feeling of being loved (β=-1.53, p<0.001) and love for others (β=-1.43, p<0.001) led to decline in odds of reporting greater level of depressive symptoms over time. The odds of reporting higher level of positive affect were significantly greater for older adults who reported feeling loved by others (β=1.16, p<0.001) and expressed love for other people (β=1.18, p<0.01). Older adults who felt loved had 0.92-point lower ordered log odds of reporting higher negative affect than those who reported lower level of love. The impact of compassionate love on depressive symptoms and negative affect remained statistically significant even after adjustment for altruistic attitudes and emotional support. The influence of loving emotions on positive affect was, however, explained by altruistic attitudes and emotional support. Our findings underscore the powerful influence of both receiving and giving love for the maintenance of later life psychological well-being. We offer support for the expectation that love is a significant force in the lives of older adults that transcends intimate relationships.

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A pilot study on the impact of a first-time central heating intervention on resident mental wellbeing

Indoor and Built Environment ◽

10.1177/1420326x20975468 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1420326X2097546

Author(s):

Richard A Sharpe ◽

Andrew J Williams ◽

Ben Simpson ◽

Gemma Finnegan ◽

Tim Jones

Keyword(s):

Pilot Study ◽

Indoor Environment ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Well Being ◽

Waiting List ◽

Mental Wellbeing ◽

Central Heating ◽

The Impact ◽

First Time ◽

Mental Well Being

Fuel poverty affects around 34% of European homes, representing a considerable burden to society and healthcare systems. This pilot study assesses the impact of an intervention to install a new first time central heating system in order to reduce fuel poverty on household satisfaction with indoor temperatures/environment, ability to pay bills and mental well-being. In Cornwall, 183 households received the intervention and a further 374 went onto a waiting list control. A post-intervention postal questionnaires and follow-up phone calls were undertaken ( n = 557) to collect data on household demographics, resident satisfaction with indoor environment, finances and mental well-being (using the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing scale). We compared responses between the waiting list control and intervention group to assess the effectiveness of the intervention. A total of 31% of participants responded, 83 from the waiting list control and 71 from the intervention group. The intervention group reported improvements in the indoor environment, finances and mental well-being. However, these benefits were not expressed by all participants, which may result from diverse resident behaviours, lifestyles and housing characteristics. Future policies need to consider whole house approaches alongside resident training and other behaviour change techniques that can account for complex interactions between behaviours and the built environment.

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Resilience, pessimism, and depression in undergraduates in Hong Kong during Covid-19: A cross-sectional online survey study (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.29117 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Min Yi Sum ◽

Sherry Kit Wa Chan ◽

Gloria Hoi Yan Wong

Keyword(s):

Hong Kong ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Undergraduate Students ◽

Family Conflict ◽

Online Survey ◽

Mental Wellbeing ◽

Survey Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Mediation Analyses ◽

The Impact

BACKGROUND Adolescence and young adulthood is a period of heightened risk of mental disorders onset. The Covid-19 pandemic may have impacted the daily lives and learning of students, exposing them to risks of emotional distress. Understanding factors associated with individual differences in distress can inform remedial strategies for schools. OBJECTIVE To investigate the impact of Covid-19 on undergraduate students’ lifestyle and learning, and explore relationship between depressive symptoms, resilience, and optimism/pessimism bias in undergraduate students in Hong Kong. METHODS Cross-sectional online survey of undergraduate students in a university (n=1020) before and during the third wave of Covid-19 outbreak in Hong Kong between May and August 2020. Changes in habits and family conflicts, depressive symptoms (measured using Patient Health Questionnaire-9), resilience (measured using Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale), optimism/pessimism towards Covid-19 risks, and knowledge about Covid-19 were recorded. Multivariable linear regression and mediation analyses were used to explore relationships with depressive symptoms. RESULTS 61.7% of respondents have mild to severe depressive symptoms. The regression model found that 18.5% of the variance in depressive symptoms was explained by resilience, pessimism bias, changes in sleep, decrease in study at home, and increase in family conflict. Mediation analysis showed that resilience is indirectly related to depressive symptoms through its relationship with pessimism (ab = -0.042, CI = -0.057 to -0.013). Higher resilience was associated with lower depressive symptoms even after accounting for resilience’s indirect effect through pessimism (c’ = 0.311, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS The findings highlight the mental health vulnerability of undergraduate students. Measures to reduce family conflict, maintain healthy daily habits, adjust optimism/pessimism bias, and enhance resilience may be useful for improving the mental wellbeing of undergraduate students during the pandemic.

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