Nichole Sams1, Dylan M Fisher2, Felicia Mata-Greve1, Morgan Johnson1, Michael D Pullmann1, Patrick J Raue3, Brenna N Renn4, Jaden Duffy1, Doyanne Darnell2, Isabell Griffith Fillipo2, Ryan Allred5, Kathy Huynh5, Emily Friedman5, Patricia A Areán6. 1. University of Washington Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (NS, DMF, FMG, MJ, MDP, JD, DD, IGF, PAA), Seattle, WA; University of Washington ALACRITY Center (NS, FMG, MJ, MDP, PJR, JD, RA, KH, EF, PAA), Seattle, WA. 2. University of Washington Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (NS, DMF, FMG, MJ, MDP, JD, DD, IGF, PAA), Seattle, WA. 3. University of Washington ALACRITY Center (NS, FMG, MJ, MDP, PJR, JD, RA, KH, EF, PAA), Seattle, WA; University of Washington AIMS Center (PJR, PAA), Seattle, WA. 4. University of Nevada Las Vegas Department of Psychology (BNR), Las Vegas, NV. 5. University of Washington ALACRITY Center (NS, FMG, MJ, MDP, PJR, JD, RA, KH, EF, PAA), Seattle, WA. 6. University of Washington Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (NS, DMF, FMG, MJ, MDP, JD, DD, IGF, PAA), Seattle, WA; University of Washington ALACRITY Center (NS, FMG, MJ, MDP, PJR, JD, RA, KH, EF, PAA), Seattle, WA; University of Washington AIMS Center (PJR, PAA), Seattle, WA. Electronic address: parean@uw.edu.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This study examined the emotional distress and loneliness during COVID-19 and the roles of resiliency and activities. DESIGN: A cross-sectional national survey. SETTING: Amazon Mechanical Turk (mTurk) and Prolific Research Platforms. PARTICIPANTS: Five hundred and one U.S. dwelling English-speaking adults 60 years old and older. MEASUREMENTS: Participants completed an online survey with the PHQ-9; GAD-7; Short Health Anxiety Inventory; 3-item UCLA Loneliness scale; PROMIS measures of global health, instrumental, and emotional support; 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale; and COVID-19 needs assessment. RESULTS: Across the sample 13% reported moderate depressive symptoms, 9% reported moderate anxiety symptoms, and 26% endorsed being "lonely." The emotionally distressed group endorsed more loneliness, lower resiliency, less physical exercise, and worse physical health. The low Socio-Economic Status group endorsed less loneliness, less likely to engage in physical exercise and worse physical health.The lonely group endorsed less resilience, less physical exercise, and worse physical health. A multiple logistic regression found that resilience, socioeconomic status, and physical health were significant predictors of loneliness, whereas global health was the best predictor of emotional distress. CONCLUSIONS: Even after prolonged social distancing, older adults in this study did not report greater psychological distress compared to earlier studies of older adults during COVID-19. Older adults with lower SES, worse physical health, and less resiliency, were more likely to report more loneliness. It is this group that should be the focus of intervention.
OBJECTIVES: This study examined the emotional distress and loneliness during COVID-19 and the roles of resiliency and activities. DESIGN: A cross-sectional national survey. SETTING: Amazon Mechanical Turk (mTurk) and Prolific Research Platforms. PARTICIPANTS: Five hundred and one U.S. dwelling English-speaking adults 60 years old and older. MEASUREMENTS: Participants completed an online survey with the PHQ-9; GAD-7; Short Health Anxiety Inventory; 3-item UCLA Loneliness scale; PROMIS measures of global health, instrumental, and emotional support; 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale; and COVID-19 needs assessment. RESULTS: Across the sample 13% reported moderate depressive symptoms, 9% reported moderate anxiety symptoms, and 26% endorsed being "lonely." The emotionally distressed group endorsed more loneliness, lower resiliency, less physical exercise, and worse physical health. The low Socio-Economic Status group endorsed less loneliness, less likely to engage in physical exercise and worse physical health.The lonely group endorsed less resilience, less physical exercise, and worse physical health. A multiple logistic regression found that resilience, socioeconomic status, and physical health were significant predictors of loneliness, whereas global health was the best predictor of emotional distress. CONCLUSIONS: Even after prolonged social distancing, older adults in this study did not report greater psychological distress compared to earlier studies of older adults during COVID-19. Older adults with lower SES, worse physical health, and less resiliency, were more likely to report more loneliness. It is this group that should be the focus of intervention.
Authors: Elizabeth Phelan; Barbara Williams; Kathryn Meeker; Katie Bonn; John Frederick; James Logerfo; Mark Snowden Journal: BMC Fam Pract Date: 2010-09-01 Impact factor: 2.497
Authors: Ashwin A Kotwal; Julianne Holt-Lunstad; Rebecca L Newmark; Irena Cenzer; Alexander K Smith; Kenneth E Covinsky; Danielle P Escueta; Jina M Lee; Carla M Perissinotto Journal: J Am Geriatr Soc Date: 2020-10-09 Impact factor: 7.538
Authors: Anna Kucharska-Newton; Kunihiro Matsushita; Yejin Mok; Melissa Minotti; Elizabeth C Oelsner; Kim Ring; Lynne Wagenknecht; Timothy M Hughes; Thomas Mosley; Priya Palta; Pamela L Lutsey; Joe Coresh Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2021-12-02 Impact factor: 2.692