Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on depression in older adults: A panel data analysis

Gaggero, Alessio; Fernández-Pérez, Ángel; Jiménez-Rubio, Dolores

doi:10.1016/j.healthpol.2022.07.001

Cited by 17 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 37 publications

(47 reference statements)

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“…Because the elderly are more susceptible to severe illness and death caused by the virus COVID-19, the pandemic has had a significant impact on their behavior. Due to the need to maintain a physical distance and limit contact with others, which can negatively affect well-being, many elderly people felt isolated and depressed (Gaggero et al, 2022). According to Xia and Li (2018) and Leigh-Hunt et al (2017), pandemic-related loneliness and isolation affect 10-40% of older people in Europe and China, compared with 56% in Malaysia (Marzo et al, 2021), but this figure includes people of all ages, not just older people.…”

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confidence: 99%

Assessing the significance of first place and online third places in supporting Malaysian seniors’ well-being during the pandemic

Tan

Idris

2023

Humanit Soc Sci Commun

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The enforced lockdowns and social distancing measures associated with COVID-19 may have influenced older adults’ preferences towards their homes and neighborhoods as well as social spaces. One objective of this research is to determine whether home and neighborhood environments (“first place”) affect how satisfied older adults are with their lives during the epidemic. This study also examined the extent to which social spaces that exist in the virtual world (“online third places”) affect older adults’ life satisfaction when they would have to practice risk-averse behaviors in times of pandemic. To collect data, this study analyzed the responses of 500 active older adults and conducted in-depth interviews with seven older adults who served as neighborhood leaders in Klang Valley, Malaysia. The study found that there is a direct relationship between older adults’ satisfaction with their current housing and their overall life satisfaction during the pandemic. Similarly, having a quality neighborhood nearby increases the likelihood of living a satisfied life during the pandemic. Most online third parties, with the exception of instant messaging apps, do not appear to provide older adults with an adequate platform to interact with their friends, participate in social networking, and join communities for emotional support during the pandemic. The findings and recommendations of this study would be very useful in developing effective interventions to promote aging in place during the coronavirus outbreak.

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confidence: 99%

Assessing the significance of first place and online third places in supporting Malaysian seniors’ well-being during the pandemic

Tan

Idris

2023

Humanit Soc Sci Commun

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“…Additionally, a study conducted in Uttarakhand using the PHQ-9 reported a prevalence of 11.2%; however, a different cut-off for depression was used [ 16 ]. The COVID-19 pandemic may also have contributed to the higher prevalence of depression among the elderly, as several studies suggest an increase in depressive episodes following the pandemic [ 17 - 19 ]. The elevated prevalence of depression witnessed in our study is of public health concern.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Depression and Associated Factors Among Older Adults in a North Indian State: A Cross-Sectional Study

Debnath¹,

Sandooja²,

Kishore³

2023

Cureus

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Introduction: India is currently experiencing a significant increase in its elderly population, and it is predicted to rise. Depression is prevalent among the elderly population. This study aimed at measuring the prevalence of depression among the elderly population in India. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted in both urban and rural regions of Delhi, with a total of 230 participants recruited through systematic random sampling. This sampling method involved selecting households from a comprehensive list. The Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) was used as a screening tool for depression. Participants with a PHQ-9 score above 9 were considered to potentially experience depression. Results: The study findings revealed that 68.2% (95%CI: 61.8%-74.2%) of the total sample of 230 participants screened positive for depression. Gender ( p = 0.02), age category ( p < 0.01), place of residence ( p < 0.01), and diabetes ( p < 0.01) were significantly associated with depression. Conclusion: The study found a high prevalence of depression among the elderly population, with females, urban dwellers, and those with a history of diabetes being significantly associated with depression. Early detection through screening programs and community-based interventions could help manage depression in this vulnerable group.

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“…Previous studies have investigated how the use of internet may affect the adoption of an environmentally friendly behavior ( 54 , 55 ), household welfare and wellbeing ( 56 ), and agricultural production and marketing performance ( 57 , 58 ). Some other studies have made effort to understand the diversity of elderly's mental health ( 11 , 42 , 59 , 60 ). Yet, there is still limited knowledge about the relationship between the behavior of internet use and mental health.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Table 1 presents the variable definitions. The outcome variable is the CES-D score, which is a reliable and widely used measure of the depression status in clinical practices and epidemiological studies ( 41 , 42 ). The explanatory variable is internet use, defined as 1 if the respondent used the internet in the last month, and 0 otherwise.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The temperature of internet: Internet use and depression of the elderly in China

Guo

Feng

Liu

2022

Front. Public Health

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IntroductionDepression has become one of the most prevalent mental illnesses affecting the elderly in aging countries, i. e., in countries of the world whose population is slowly aging. It has become an important topic for scientists and policymakers to analyze how best to improve the elderly's mental health and save them from depression. The aim of this paper was to investigate whether and to what extent internet use may affect depression in the elderly. The heterogeneous effects of internet use on the elderly's depression across age, gender, and occupation were also investigated.MethodsThe data used in the present study were gathered from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study that was conducted in 2018. The propensity score matching technique and the endogenous switch regression model were employed in this study to address potential endogeneity caused by both observed and unobserved factors.ResultsThe results of the present study show that the elderly who are relatively young, male, well educated, live in an urban area, or have a small family are more likely to use the internet. The elderly who have healthy eyes or good eyesight, those who are not employed in the agricultural sector, or those who are retired, and those who are not eligible to receive any subsistence allowance or drink wine have a higher probability of using the internet. We also find that internet use significantly reduces the elderly's depression status by 3.370 points, which is roughly equivalent to a reduction of 37.19%. Heterogeneity analysis on internet use reveals that the health effect is particularly effective for agricultural workers, female, or the older elderly.ConclusionThe results of the present study highlight the significant welfare effects brought about by the development of internet infrastructure. To improve the mental health of the elderly, the government should encourage them to adopt the internet. In particular, the needs of the elderly who are older, female, or have agricultural work should be paid more attention to motivate them to use the internet more to alleviate depression.

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Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on depression in older adults: A panel data analysis

Cited by 17 publications

References 37 publications

Assessing the significance of first place and online third places in supporting Malaysian seniors’ well-being during the pandemic

Assessing the significance of first place and online third places in supporting Malaysian seniors’ well-being during the pandemic

Depression and Associated Factors Among Older Adults in a North Indian State: A Cross-Sectional Study

The temperature of internet: Internet use and depression of the elderly in China

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