The impact of COVID-19 related adversity on the course of mental health during the pandemic and the role of protective factors: a longitudinal study among older adults in The Netherlands.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Many studies report about risk factors associated with adverse changes in mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic while few studies report about protective and buffering factors, especially in older adults. We present an observational study to assess protective and buffering factors against COVID-19 related adverse mental health changes in older adults.

Methods

899 older adults (55 +) in the Netherlands were followed from 2018/19 to two pandemic time points (June-October 2020 and March-August 2021). Questionnaires included exposure to pandemic-related adversities ("COVID-19 exposure"), depressive and anxiety symptoms, loneliness, and pre-pandemic functioning. Linear regression analyses estimated main effects of COVID-19 exposure and protective factors on mental he

SUBMITTER: Holwerda TJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10039342 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature