COVID-19 and Mental Health: A Study of Stress, Resilience, and Depression among the Older Population in Pakistan

Abstract

Extending studies of the adverse effects of SARS-2 coronavirus on general health consequences, this research explores complexities related to the mental health of the elderly as a result of pandemic-related stress. The study addresses this issue by using resilience theory to examine the effects of fear and exposure related to COVID-19 and depression. Besides, our study examines the moderating effects of self-efficacy in order to provide an understanding of how the coping abilities of the elderly may mitigate the effect of stress levels on mental health during pandemics. Our model is tested by analysing the survey data collected from Rawalpindi, a metropolitan city in Pakistan. The main results of the study confirm the positive association of pandemic-related fear and exposure virus with depression. However, self-efficacy shows a negative direct effect on depression, and the findings also confirm the moderation effect of self-efficacy on the fear of COVID-19 and depression, but the moderation effect of self-efficacy on COVID-19 exposure and depression is not supported. Based on the outcomes, some severe geriatric care policies that could weaken the pandemic-related fear, exposure to the virus, and depression are recommended.

Fear of COVID-19 and general self-efficacy among Turkish teachers: Mediating role of perceived social support

“…This result can be interpreted that the fear of COVID-19 affects the general self-efficacy of people negatively; that is, as the fear of COVID-19 increases, the self-efficacy of individuals decreases. The results of the current study are consistent with the results of the previous studies, which found a negative association between fear of COVID-19 and general self-efficacy (Mumtaz et al, 2021 ; Okan, 2021 ). Moreover, the results of this study support Bandura's ( 1995 ) view that positive mood increases perceived self-efficacy while a negative mood weakens it.…”

Social Quarantine and Its Four Modes: Conceptional Exploration and the Theoretical Construction of the Policies Against COVID-19

“…Nevertheless, having discussed the behavioural and psychological aspects, this study mainly engages conceptual work and policy analysis on the subject rather than sociological studies of structural interpretations of the rules and behaviours of quarantine. In previous studies, some researchers showed the effect of prolonged quarantine was associated with poor mental health, particularly post-traumatic stress symptoms, anger, and avoidance behaviour ( 6 , 13 , 14 ), and at the behavioural level, the regulations about the behavioural rules are discussed, such as a distance of one metre between customers in bars and coffee shops and the rules reducing interpersonal interactions in social meeting. Thus, this study constructs a four-modes frame of analysis and test explanatory power of these modes in the policy practises as the strategy of prevention in the COVID-19 pandemic.…”

Application of Grey-Based SWARA and COPRAS Techniques in Disease Mortality Risk Assessment

“…Social and economic variables can have a huge effect on how healthy we are and how long we survive. ese variables influence our capacity to make healthy decisions, afford medical treatment and housing, and deal with stress, among other things [25].…”