Depression and Anxiety in Old Age during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comparative Study of Individuals at Cardiovascular Risk and the General Population

Sina K. Gerhards (), Melanie Luppa, Susanne Röhr, Alexander Pabst, Alexander Bauer, Thomas Frankhänel, Juliane Döhring, Catharina Escales, Isabel Renate Zöllinger, Anke Oey, Christian Brettschneider, Birgitt Wiese, Wolfgang Hoffmann, Jochen Gensichen, Hans-Helmut König, Thomas Frese, Jochen René Thyrian, Hanna Kaduszkiewicz and Steffi G. Riedel-Heller
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Sina K. Gerhards: Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health (ISAP), University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
Melanie Luppa: Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health (ISAP), University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
Susanne Röhr: Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health (ISAP), University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
Alexander Pabst: Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health (ISAP), University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
Alexander Bauer: Institute of General Practice and Family Medicine, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, 06112 Halle (Saale), Germany
Thomas Frankhänel: Institute of General Practice and Family Medicine, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, 06112 Halle (Saale), Germany
Juliane Döhring: Institute of General Practice, University of Kiel, 24105 Kiel, Germany
Catharina Escales: Institute of General Practice, University of Kiel, 24105 Kiel, Germany
Isabel Renate Zöllinger: Institute of General Practice/Family Medicine, University Hospital of LMU Munich, 80336 Munich, Germany
Anke Oey: Institute for General Practice, Work Group Medical Statistics and IT-Infrastructure, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
Christian Brettschneider: Department of Health Economics and Health Services Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
Birgitt Wiese: Institute for General Practice, Work Group Medical Statistics and IT-Infrastructure, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
Wolfgang Hoffmann: Institute for Community Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
Jochen Gensichen: Institute of General Practice/Family Medicine, University Hospital of LMU Munich, 80336 Munich, Germany
Hans-Helmut König: Department of Health Economics and Health Services Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
Thomas Frese: Institute of General Practice and Family Medicine, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, 06112 Halle (Saale), Germany
Jochen René Thyrian: Institute for Community Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
Hanna Kaduszkiewicz: Institute of General Practice, University of Kiel, 24105 Kiel, Germany
Steffi G. Riedel-Heller: Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health (ISAP), University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 4, 1-13

Abstract: Our study aims to examine the associations of sociodemographic factors, social support, resilience, and perceptions of the COVID-19 pandemic with late-life depression and anxiety symptoms in a cardiovascular risk group and a matched sample from the German general population during the beginning of the pandemic and draw a comparison regarding psychosocial characteristics. Data of n = 1236 participants (aged 64–81 years) were analyzed, with n = 618 participants showing a cardiovascular risk profile, and n = 618 participants from the general population. The cardiovascular risk sample had slightly higher levels of depressive symptoms and felt more threatened by the virus due to pre-existing conditions. In the cardiovascular risk group, social support was associated with less depressive and anxiety symptoms. In the general population, high social support was associated with less depressive symptoms. Experiencing high levels of worries due to COVID-19 was associated with more anxiety in the general population. Resilience was associated with less depressive and anxiety symptoms in both groups. Compared to the general population, the cardiovascular risk group showed slightly higher levels of depressive symptomatology even at the beginning of the pandemic and may be supported by addressing perceived social support and resilience in prevention programs targeting mental health.

Keywords: depressive symptoms; anxiety; cardiovascular risk; old age; COVID-19 pandemic (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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