Abstract
ObjectiveThe COVID-19 pandemic imposed a psychological burden on people worldwide, including fear and anxiety. Older adults are considered more vulnerable during public health emergency crises. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the psychological response of older adults during the acute phase of the pandemic in Greece.MethodThis cross-sectional study was part of a larger three-day online survey. A total of 103 participants over the age of 60 fulfilled inclusion criteria. The survey included sociodemographic questions and six psychometric scales: the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), the Brief Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) depression scale, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (IUS-12), and the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale (JGLS).ResultsA significant proportion of the participants reported moderate to severe depressive symptoms (81.6%), moderate to severe anxiety symptoms (84.5%), as well as disrupted sleep (37.9%). Women reported significantly higher levels of COVID-19–related fear, more severe depressive symptoms and sleep disturbances, as well as higher levels of intolerance of uncertainty. Participants living alone showed higher levels of loneliness. Intolerance of uncertainty was shown to modulate levels of loneliness.ConclusionsDuring the quarantine, attention was promptly drawn upon the risks related with older people’s loneliness. Studies identifying factors that may contribute to loneliness during a public health emergency facilitate the implementation of supportive interventions. Preparedness to address and manage older people’s loneliness may limit this deleterious emotional response during the pandemic, as well as at the post-COVID-19 phase.
Highlights
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19, the disease associated with the novel “Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2” SARS-CoV-2, a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern” on January 30 [1], and a “pandemic” on March 11, 2020 [2]
A significant proportion of the participants reported moderate to severe depressive symptoms (81.6%), moderate to severe anxiety symptoms (84.5%), as well as disrupted sleep (37.9%) (Table 3)
The results of the analysis revealed that the linear combination of IUS-12, Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-9, and GAD-7 accounted for a significant amount of variance of loneliness [R2 = 0.14, F(3,89) = 4.93, p = .003]
Summary
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19, the disease associated with the novel “Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2” SARS-CoV-2, a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern” on January 30 [1], and a “pandemic” on March 11, 2020 [2]. Older adults are considered more vulnerable during public emergency crises [8] Their vulnerability is linked with the agerelated compromised physical state, increased prevalence of chronic health conditions and other disabilities, cognitive abilities’ decline, as well as the potential presence of adverse psychosocial conditions [9]. Around 95% of COVID-19–related deaths in Europe, 80% of fatal COVID-19 cases in the United States, and 80% of fatal cases in China involved patients over the age of 60 to 65 [14]. Despite the emphasis placed by WHO on the older residents of long-term care facilities [16], a great number of COVID-19–related deaths was reported in care homes in countries severely affected by the pandemic. Official records were not always complete and accurate, available data suggested that between the middle of April and the beginning of May, 67% of total COVID-19–related deaths in Spain and 37% of total COVID-19–related deaths in France involved residents in care homes; death numbers in care homes in the United Kingdom were the greatest since 1993 [17], while roughly one out of five COVID-19–related deaths in the United States was recorded in nursing homes [14]
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