Are older adults also at higher psychological risk from COVID-19?

• Published in: Aging & mental health 2021-07, Vol.25 (7), p.1297-1304
• Main Authors: García-Portilla, Paz, de la Fuente Tomás, Lorena, Bobes-Bascarán, Teresa, Jiménez Treviño, Luis, Zurrón Madera, Paula, Suárez Álvarez, María, Menéndez Miranda, Isabel, García Álvarez, Leticia, Sáiz Martínez, Pilar A., Bobes, Julio
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adults; Age; Age groups; Anxiety; Avoidance behavior; avoidant behavior; COVID-19; Cross-sectional studies; depression; Emotional behavior; Emotional distress; Emotions; Geriatric psychiatry; Impact analysis; Living alone; Men; Mental depression; older adults; Older people; Older women; Pandemics; Psychological aspects; Psychological distress; Psychological factors; psychological impact; Psychology; Responses; Secondary analysis; Stress; Stress response; Women; Young women
• ISSN: 1360-7863; 1364-6915
• DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2020.1805723

Given the lack of information on the psychological impact of COVID-19 on people aged ≥60, we aimed to describe their psychological responses to this pandemic and lockdown situation and compare them with those under 60 years of age. Secondary analysis of a larger online cross-sectional study designed to determine the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown across Spain. We analyzed a total of 1690 respondents aged ≥60 years and compared them with 13,363 respondents under 60 years of age. We employed the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale and the Impact of Event Scale to evaluate psychological responses. In all, 52.6% of women and 34.3% of men were found to be probable cases of any emotional distress (p