Later-life depressive symptoms during the Covid-19 pandemic: Investigations of individual, cumulative, and synergistic effects of social isolation.
Aging Ment Health
; 27(9): 1702-1710, 2023.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36721924
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES:
This study examines associations between social isolation and depressive symptoms among Hong Kong Chinese adults aged 65 and older by investigating the distinct effects of individual indicators, cumulative index, and typologies of social isolation during the Covid-19 pandemic.METHODS:
We used a sample of 260 older adults from a cross-sectional, city-wide online survey targeting 1,109 aged 45+ adults through purposive sampling. Seven indicators of social isolation (not married; living alone; not engaging in social/organizational activities; no social contact with friends or families; lack of family and friends networks; loneliness) using Cornwell & Waite's framework were selected to construct three unique types of social isolation measures. We used latent class analysis (LCA) and regression models to examine the effects of varied typologies of social isolation on depressive symptoms.RESULTS:
Individual model of social isolation showed that lack of social contact and feeling lonely were significant predictors of depressive symptoms. A strong linear-trend gradient effect of cumulative social isolation on depressive symptoms was also observed. The LCA model identified four typologies of social isolation (socially isolated; living alone but socially engaged; married but lacking social ties, and not socially isolated); those in the 'socially isolated' and 'married but lacking social ties' groups had the most depressive symptoms.CONCLUSION:
Three operationalizations of social isolation demonstrated different utilities and implications in assessing the impacts of social isolation on depressive symptoms. Social contacts and loneliness, rather than living status or other characteristics of isolation, were the factors most strongly associated with depressive symptoms. Support programs should target lonely older adults who lack social engagement opportunities, as they are at increased risk of depression.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Depressão
/
COVID-19
Tipo de estudo:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
Limite:
Aged
/
Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Aging Ment Health
Assunto da revista:
GERIATRIA
/
PSICOLOGIA
Ano de publicação:
2023
Tipo de documento:
Article