A Study of the Association between the Stringency of Covid-19 Government Measures and Depression in Older Adults across Europe and Israel

Gina Voss, Andreia F. Paiva and Alice Delerue Matos
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Gina Voss: Communication and Society Research Centre, Institute of Social Sciences, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
Andreia F. Paiva: Communication and Society Research Centre, Institute of Social Sciences, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
Alice Delerue Matos: Communication and Society Research Centre, Institute of Social Sciences, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 15, 1-12

Abstract: Background : The COVID-19 pandemic is having major adverse consequences for the mental health of individuals worldwide. Alongside the direct impact of the virus on individuals, government responses to tackling its spread, such as quarantine, lockdown, and physical distancing measures, have been found to have a profound impact on mental health. This is manifested in an increased prevalence of anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances. As older adults are more vulnerable and severely affected by the pandemic, they may be at increased psychological risk when seeking to protect themselves from COVID-19. Methods : Our study aims to quantify the association between the stringency of measures and increased feelings of sadness/depression in a sample of 31,819 Europeans and Israelis aged 65 and above. We hypothesize that more stringent measures make it more likely that individuals will report increased feelings of sadness or depression. Conclusions : We found that more stringent measures across countries in Europe and Israel affect the mental health of older individuals. The prevalence of increased feelings of sadness/depression was higher in Southern European countries, where the measures were more stringent. We therefore recommend paying particular attention to the possible effects of pandemic control measures on the mental health of older people.

Keywords: COVID-19; mental health; depression; stringency measures; older adults; SHARE (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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