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Gyasi RM, Aikins E, Hajek A, Opoku-Ware J, Osei BA, Kwabena-Adade J, Jacob L, Rahmati M, Dakurah G, Peltzer K. Cross-sectional association of food insecurity with loneliness in older adults: The role of sex, age, and psychosomatic factors. J Nutr Health Aging 2024; 28:100328. [PMID: 39096770 DOI: 10.1016/j.jnha.2024.100328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2024] [Revised: 07/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/28/2024] [Indexed: 08/05/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Food insecurity (FI) is a critical social determinant of poor psychosocial health. While data on the specific roles of sex and age in the FI-loneliness link among older adults are limited, the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. This study examines the age-sex-specific associations of FI with loneliness among older adults in Ghana and quantifies the extent to which psychosomatic factors mediate the association. METHODS We analyzed cross-sectional data from the Aging, Health, Psychological, and Health-seeking Behavior Study in Ghana. The past 30-day FI was assessed using items on hunger and breakfast skipping frequency due to a lack of resources. We assessed loneliness severity with the University of California, Los Angeles 3-item Loneliness Scale. Multivariable OLS regressions and bootstrapping mediation analysis using the Hayes PROCESS macro plug-in were used to evaluate the associations. RESULTS We included 1,201 individuals aged ≥50 years (mean = 62.9 [SD = 11.9]; women = 63.3%). The prevalence of loneliness was 17.7%. The prevalence of moderate and severe FI was 44.0% and 8.5%, respectively. In the adjusted model, greater FI was significantly associated with loneliness severity (B = .22, SE = .029, p < .001). We found significant interactive effects of FI × age (B = -.17, SE = .023, p < .01) and FI × sex (B = -.28, SE = .036, p < .001) on loneliness. Thus, the FI-loneliness link was respectively more marked among women (B = .25, SE = .035, p < .001) and ≥65 age groups (B = .34, SE = .041, p < .001) than men (B = .16, SE = .051, p < .01) and those aged 50-64 (B = .22; SE = .040, p < .001). Finally, comorbid depression/anxiety (41.07%), hopelessness (48.6%), worthlessness (42.1%), functional limitations (8.2%), and pain severity (6.4%) mediated the FI-loneliness association. CONCLUSIONS Age- and sex-specific associations between FI and loneliness exist among older Ghanaians. Addressing FI in concert with psychosomatic problems in older adults may contribute meaningfully to reducing loneliness in later life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Razak M Gyasi
- African Population and Health Research Center, Nairobi, Kenya; National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine, Faculty of Health, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW, Australia.
| | - Emelia Aikins
- Department of Geography and Rural Development, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - André Hajek
- Department of Health Economics and Health Services Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg Center for Health Economics, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jones Opoku-Ware
- Department of Sociology and Social Work, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Benjamin Appiah Osei
- Department of Hospitality and Tourism Studies, School of Business, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Joana Kwabena-Adade
- Department of General and Liberal Studies, School of Basic and Biomedical Sciences, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
| | - Louis Jacob
- Research and Development Unit, Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, CIBERSAM, ISCIII, Dr. Antoni Pujadas, 42, 08830 Sant Boi de Llobregat, Spain; AP-HP, Université Paris Cité, Lariboisière-Fernand Widal Hospital, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 75010 Paris, France; Université Paris Cité, Inserm U1153, Epidemiology of Ageing and Neurodegenerative Diseases (EpiAgeing), 75010 Paris, France
| | - Masoud Rahmati
- CEReSS-Health Service Research and Quality of Life Center, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France; Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Literature and Human Sciences, Lorestan University, Khoramabad, Iran; Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Vali-E-Asr University of Rafsanjan, Rafsanjan, Iran
| | - George Dakurah
- Department of Geography and Rural Development, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Karl Peltzer
- Department of Health Education and Behavioral Sciences, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand; Department of Psychology, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa; Department of Psychology, College of Medical and Health Science, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
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Tiilikainen E, Aartsen M, Kraav SL. Early-life circumstances and late life loneliness trajectories among Finnish older adults. BMC Geriatr 2024; 24:459. [PMID: 38789957 PMCID: PMC11127366 DOI: 10.1186/s12877-024-04967-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Later life loneliness has become a significant public health concern worldwide. Research has focused on the prevalence, risk factors and consequences of loneliness in different age groups. This study aimed to advance the understanding of the impact of early-life circumstances on later life loneliness by examining the associations between adversities in childhood and youth and loneliness trajectories in Finnish older adults. METHODS The data were derived from the 10-year follow-up survey study Good Aging in the Lahti Region (n = 1552, mean age 64.89 years). The baseline study was conducted in 2002 with a regionally and locally stratified random sample of older persons living in the Lahti Region located in southern Finland. The follow-up surveys were carried out in 2005, 2008 and 2012. Loneliness was measured using a single question at the three follow-ups. Childhood conditions were retrospectively assessed at baseline with questions regarding the death of parents, household affection, relocation, and fear of a family member. Latent class growth analysis with time invariant covariates was used to identify loneliness trajectories and to examine the associations between loneliness trajectories and adverse circumstances in childhood and youth. RESULTS The results identified three distinct loneliness trajectories: low, moderate, and severe, including 36%, 50% and 14%, respectively, of the study population. The non-significant slopes of the three trajectories indicate that trajectories were stable during the seven years of follow-up. Being afraid of a family member, having a cold childhood, and death of a father or mother in childhood or youth significantly increased the odds of having a severe loneliness trajectory as compared to low loneliness trajectory. None of the early-life circumstances differentiated between severe and moderate levels of loneliness. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest that some adverse early-life circumstances increase the odds of an unfavorable loneliness trajectory in later life. The results highlight the need to recognize the role of diverse life-course adversities in loneliness research and interventions. The study also underscores the importance of identifying individuals who are at risk of long-term and severe loneliness and providing them with appropriate support to decrease and/or prevent the negative health consequences of loneliness in old age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Tiilikainen
- Department of Social Sciences, University of Finland, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Marja Aartsen
- NOVA - Norwegian Social Research, Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, Norway
| | - Siiri-Liisi Kraav
- Department of Social Sciences, University of Finland, Helsinki, Finland
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Gonçalves Tasca B, Bousmah MAQ, Coulibaly K, Gosselin A, Ravalihasy A, Desgrées du Loû A, Melchior M. Depression and loneliness among Sub-Saharan immigrants living in the greater Paris area: results from the MAKASI empowerment stepped wedge cluster randomised controlled trial. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2024:10.1007/s00127-024-02665-7. [PMID: 38584200 DOI: 10.1007/s00127-024-02665-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE The MAKASI intervention aimed to empower Sub-Saharan African immigrants living in precarious situations in the Paris metropolitan area. Because there are factors specifically related to immigration that may increase the risk for common mental disorders, the present study aimed to examine participants' levels of depression and loneliness and analyze the effect of the intervention on depression and loneliness. METHODS The MAKASI study was designed as a stepped wedge cluster randomized trial. Study participants were recruited through an outreach program led by a nongovernmental organization and randomly assigned to two clusters, with an intervention delay of 3 months between them. Participants were assessed for 6 months after inclusion and the effect of the intervention on depression and loneliness was assessed using generalized linear mixed models. The study was conducted from 2018 to 2021 and took in consideration whether being interviewed during one of the Covid-19 confinement had an effect on the results. RESULTS Between 2018 and 2021 a total of 821 subjects participated in the Makasi study. High levels of depression and loneliness were found in the study population. We found no effect of the intervention on depression [95% CI 0.77 to 2.40]. Similarly, no effect of the intervention was found on loneliness [95% CI 0.87 to 2.54]. CONCLUSIONS The intervention tested did not appear to improve the level of depression and loneliness among participants. However, the high prevalence of mental and emotional problems in the study population suggests a public health crisis among immigrants in the greater Paris area. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT04468724 (July 13, 2020).
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Gonçalves Tasca
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Institut Pierre Louis d'Epidémiologie Et de Santé Publique (IPLESP), Équipe de Recherche en Épidémiologie Sociale (ERES), Paris, France.
| | - Marwân-Al-Qays Bousmah
- Université Paris Cité, IRD, Inserm, Ceped, 75006, Paris, France
- CNRS, French Collaborative Institute On Migrations, Aubervilliers, France
- IRD, UMR LEDa-DIAL, PSL, Université Paris-Dauphine, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Karna Coulibaly
- Université Paris Cité, IRD, Inserm, Ceped, 75006, Paris, France
- CNRS, French Collaborative Institute On Migrations, Aubervilliers, France
| | - Anne Gosselin
- Université Paris Cité, IRD, Inserm, Ceped, 75006, Paris, France
- CNRS, French Collaborative Institute On Migrations, Aubervilliers, France
- Ined, National Institute for Demographic Studies, Aubervilliers, France
| | - Andrainolo Ravalihasy
- Université Paris Cité, IRD, Inserm, Ceped, 75006, Paris, France
- CNRS, French Collaborative Institute On Migrations, Aubervilliers, France
| | - Annabel Desgrées du Loû
- Université Paris Cité, IRD, Inserm, Ceped, 75006, Paris, France
- CNRS, French Collaborative Institute On Migrations, Aubervilliers, France
| | - Maria Melchior
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Institut Pierre Louis d'Epidémiologie Et de Santé Publique (IPLESP), Équipe de Recherche en Épidémiologie Sociale (ERES), Paris, France
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Gouin J, de la Torre‐Luque A, Sánchez‐Carro Y, Geoffroy M, Essau C. Heterogeneity in the trajectories of psychological distress among late adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. JCPP ADVANCES 2023; 3:e12195. [PMID: 38054054 PMCID: PMC10694544 DOI: 10.1002/jcv2.12195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has constrained opportunities in social, educational and professional domains, leading to developmental challenges for adolescents initiating their transition to adulthood. Meta-analysis indicated that there was a small increase in psychological distress during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, significant heterogeneity in the psychological response to the COVID-19 pandemic was noted. Developmental antecedents as well as social processes may account for such heterogeneity. The goal of this study was to characterize trajectories of psychological distress in late adolescence during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods 5014 late adolescents born between 2000 and 2002 from the UK Millennium Cohort Study completed online self-reported assessments at three occasions during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic (May 2020, September/October 2020 and February/March 2021). These surveys assessed psychological distress, loneliness, social support, family conflict, as well as other pandemic stressors. Information on developmental antecedents were obtained when cohort members were 17 years of age. Results Four distinct trajectories class were identified. Normative class (52.13%) experienced low and decreasing levels of psychological distress, while moderately increasing class (31.84%) experienced a small, but significant increase in distress over time and increasing class (8.75%) exhibited a larger increase in distress after the first wave of the pandemic. Inverted U-shaped class (7.29%) experienced elevated psychological distress during the first wave of the pandemic, followed by a decrease in distress in subsequent waves of the pandemic. Larger longitudinal increases in loneliness were noted among individuals in the elevated distress trajectory, compared to other trajectories. Pre-pandemic psychopathology was associated with elevated distress early in the pandemic. Conclusions The largest trajectory showed low and declining psychological distress, highlighting the resilience of the majority of late adolescents. However, a subgroup of adolescents experienced large increases in psychological distress, identifying a group of individuals more vulnerable to pandemic-related stress.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alejandro de la Torre‐Luque
- Department of Legal Medicine, Psychiatry and PathologyUniversidad Complutense de Madrid, CIBERSAM ISCIIIMadridSpain
| | - Yolanda Sánchez‐Carro
- Center for Biomedical Research in Mental Health (CIBERSAM)Carlos III Health InstituteMadridSpain
| | - Marie‐Claude Geoffroy
- Department of PsychiatryMcGill University and Douglas Mental Health University InstituteMontrealQuebecCanada
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Sbarra DA, Ramadan FA, Choi KW, Treur JL, Levey DF, Wootton RE, Stein MB, Gelernter J, Klimentidis YC. Loneliness and depression: bidirectional mendelian randomization analyses using data from three large genome-wide association studies. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:4594-4601. [PMID: 37735503 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02259-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Major depression (MD) is a serious psychiatric illness afflicting nearly 5% of the world's population. A large correlational literature suggests that loneliness is a prospective risk factor for MD; correlational assocations of this nature may be confounded for a variety of reasons. This report uses Mendelian Randomization (MR) to examine potentially causal associations between loneliness and MD. We report on analyses using summary statistics from three large genome wide association studies (GWAS). MR analyses were conducted using three independent sources of GWAS summary statistics. In the first set of analyses, we used available summary statistics from an extant GWAS of loneliness to predict MD risk. We used two sources of outcome data: the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (PGC) meta-analysis of MD (PGC-MD; N = 142,646) and the Million Veteran Program (MVP-MD; N = 250,215). Finally, we reversed analyses using data from the MVP and PGC samples to identify risk variants for MD and used loneliness outcome data from UK Biobank. We find robust evidence for a bidirectional causal relationship between loneliness and MD, including between loneliness, depression cases status, and a continuous measure of depressive symptoms. The estimates remained significant across several sensitivity analyses, including models that account for horizontal pleiotropy. This paper provides the first genetically-informed evidence that reducing loneliness may play a causal role in decreasing risk for depressive illness, and these findings support efforts to reduce loneliness in order to prevent or ameliorate MD. Discussion focuses on the public health significance of these findings, especially in light of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Sbarra
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
| | - Ferris A Ramadan
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Mel & Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Karmel W Choi
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Precision Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jorien L Treur
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Daniel F Levey
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, Psychiatry Service, West Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Robyn E Wootton
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Nic Waals Institute, Lovisenberg Diaconal Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Murray B Stein
- VA San Diego Healthcare System, Psychiatry Service, San Diego, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Joel Gelernter
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, Psychiatry Service, West Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Departments of Genetics and Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Yann C Klimentidis
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Mel & Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
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Hou Y, Cai C, Tang H, Jin Y, Chen F, Niu D, Lv F. Sexual Behavior and Perceived Loneliness in Elderly People Living with HIV in China during the COVID-19 Pandemic. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:2714. [PMID: 36768080 PMCID: PMC9915913 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20032714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The proportion of elderly people living with HIV (PLHIV) is increasing in China. To advance targeted interventions and substantially improve their quality of life, we investigate indicators of loneliness and sexual behavior among elderly PLHIV in 10 districts/counties in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS The demographic information and laboratory test results of the potential respondents were initially collected from the China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention. A two-stage stratified cluster sampling was used. The questionnaire survey was individually provided to all PLHIV aged +60. RESULTS We recruited 1017 valid respondents with a median age of 66 years (interquartile range of 63-71), of which 776 (76.3%) were male. Overall, 341 respondents (33.5%) lived alone, and 304 (29.9%) felt lonely. A total of 726 respondents (71.4%) informed others of their HIV diagnosis. Among the 726 respondents, children were the most common group with whom the older people shared their HIV infection status, accounting for 82.9%. Approximately 20% of the older PLHIV engaged in sexual behavior in the last year, and 70% reported not using condoms. A significantly greater risk of loneliness was found among the females (AOR = 1.542, CI: 1.084, 2.193), those who suffered discrimination from informed people (AOR = 4.719, CI: 2.986, 7.459), were diagnosed <1 year prior (AOR = 2.061, CI: 1.345, 3.156), those living alone (AOR = 2.314, CI: 1.632, 3.280), those having no friends (AOR = 1.779, CI: 1.327, 2.386), and those who had a divorced or widowed marital status (AOR = 1.686, CI: 1.174, 2.421). CONCLUSIONS Compared with non-lonely participants, the lonely participants were more likely to have a rural registered residence, a lower education level, no friends, be divorced or widowed, live alone, and lack knowledge of smartphones and reproductive health. The influence of COVID-19 had caused social activities to be more confined to the community, which impacts elderly HIV patients suffering from severe discrimination within families and communities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Fan Lv
- Correspondence: ; Tel./Fax: +86-010-58900906
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Donizzetti AR, Capone V. Ageism and the Pandemic: Risk and Protective Factors of Well-Being in Older People. Geriatrics (Basel) 2023; 8:geriatrics8010014. [PMID: 36648919 PMCID: PMC9844376 DOI: 10.3390/geriatrics8010014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has particularly affected the older population both in terms of the high number of victims and the psychological impact. Moreover, the pandemic has made older people more vulnerable to isolation and loneliness, and victims of ageism. The aim of the present study was to investigate the risk and protective factors for the well-being of older people during the pandemic. The role of positive affect, confidence in the future, current physical health, social isolation, loneliness, and ageism were analysed. A self-report questionnaire was administered to 1301 participants (mean age: 77.3 years, DS: 5.46), almost equally distributed by gender (56.1% female). Descriptive and correlational analyses were performed, together with SEM. The results showed that perceived age discrimination positively predicts loneliness and negatively and indirectly predicts well-being. Furthermore, positive affect, confidence in the future, and current physical health are protective factors, while loneliness, social isolation, and ageism are risk factors. Future emergency policies must take into account the impact of such actions on the well-being of this segment of the population.
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Azizabadi Z, Aminisani N, Emamian MH. Socioeconomic inequality in depression and anxiety and its determinants in Iranian older adults. BMC Psychiatry 2022; 22:761. [PMID: 36471352 PMCID: PMC9721087 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-022-04433-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Older adults with lower socioeconomic status are more vulnerable to stressful life events and at increased risk of common mental health disorders like anxiety and depression. This study investigates the socioeconomic inequality in depressive symptoms and anxiety. METHODS The data were from 7462 participants of the Neyshabur longitudinal study of ageing registered during 2016-2018. The outcome variables were anxiety and depressive symptoms. Anxiety was defined by the "Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale Questionnaire", and depressive symptoms was defined and measured by the "short-term form of the Epidemiological Center Questionnaire." The socioeconomic status was defined using principal component analysis of home assets. The Concentration Index (C) was used to measure socioeconomic inequality in anxiety and depressive symptoms. Concentration index was decomposed to its determinants to determine the role of the independent variables on inequality. RESULTS The prevalence of depressive symptoms and anxiety was 12.2% (95% CI: 11.4, 12.9) and 7.0% (95% CI: 6.4, 7.5), respectively. Moreover, the C for anxiety was -0.195 (95% CI: -0.254, -0.136) and for depressive symptoms was -0.206 (95% CI: -0.252, -0.159), which indicate a considerable inequality in favor of high socioeconomic group for anxiety and depressive symptoms. Decomposition of the concentration Index showed that education, unemployment and male sex were the most important positive contributors to the observed inequality in anxiety and depressive symptoms, while age and number of grandchildren were main negative contributors of this inequality. CONCLUSION Low socioeconomic groups were more affected by anxiety and depressive symptoms. Any intervention for alleviation of inequality in anxiety and depression should be focus on education and employment of people, especially in younger elderly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Azizabadi
- grid.444858.10000 0004 0384 8816Student Research Committee, School of Public Health, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, Iran
| | - Nayyereh Aminisani
- grid.502998.f0000 0004 0550 3395Healthy Ageing Research Centre, Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences, Neyshabur, Iran
| | - Mohammad Hassan Emamian
- Ophthalmic Epidemiology Research Center, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, Iran.
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COVID-19 and the Elderly's Mental Illness: The Role of Risk Perception, Social Isolation, Loneliness and Ageism. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19084513. [PMID: 35457381 PMCID: PMC9028465 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19084513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
For almost two years, populations around the globe faced precariousness and uncertainty as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Older adults were highly affected by the virus, and the policies meant to protect them have often resulted in ageist stereotypes and discrimination. For example, the public discourse around older adults had a paternalistic tone framing all older adults as “vulnerable”. This study aimed to measure the extent to which perceived age discrimination in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the sense of loneliness and social isolation, fear and perception of COVID-19 risks, had a negative effect on older adults’ mental illness. To do so, a self-report questionnaire was administered to 1301 participants (average age: 77.25 years old, SD = 5.46; 56.10% females, 43.90% males). Descriptive and correlational analyses were performed, along with structural equation modelling. Results showed that perceived age discrimination in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic positively predicts loneliness and also indirectly predicts mental illness. In addition, loneliness is the strongest predictor of mental illness together with fear of COVID-19 and social isolation. Such results highlight the importance of implementing public policies and discourses that are non-discriminating, and that favour the inclusion of older people.
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Mann F, Wang J, Pearce E, Ma R, Schlief M, Lloyd-Evans B, Ikhtabi S, Johnson S. Loneliness and the onset of new mental health problems in the general population. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2022; 57:2161-2178. [PMID: 35583561 PMCID: PMC9636084 DOI: 10.1007/s00127-022-02261-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Loneliness is associated with poor health including premature mortality. There are cross-sectional associations with depression, anxiety, psychosis, and other mental health outcomes. However, it is not known whether loneliness is causally linked with the new onset of mental health problems in the general population. Longitudinal studies are key to understanding this relationship. We synthesized evidence from longitudinal studies investigating the relationship between loneliness and new onset of mental health problems, in the general population. METHOD We systematically searched six electronic databases, unpublished sources, and hand-searched references, up to August 2021. We conducted a meta-analysis of eight independent cohorts and narrative synthesis of the remaining studies. RESULTS We included 32 studies, of which the majority focused on depression. Our narrative synthesis found most studies show loneliness at baseline which is associated with the subsequent new onset of depression. The few studies on anxiety and self-harm also showed a positive association. Our meta-analysis found a pooled adjusted odds ratio of 2.33 (95% CI 1.62-3.34) for risk of new onset depression in adults who were often lonely compared with people who were not often lonely. This should be interpreted with caution given evidence of heterogeneity. CONCLUSION Loneliness is a public mental health issue. There is growing evidence it is associated with the onset of depression and other common mental health problems. Future studies should explore its impact across the age range and in more diverse populations, look beyond depression, and explore the mechanisms involved with a view to better informing appropriate interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farhana Mann
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, Wing B, 6th Floor, Maple House, 149 Tottenham Court Road, London, W1T 7NF, UK.
| | - Jingyi Wang
- School of Public Health Shanghai, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Eiluned Pearce
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, Wing B, 6th Floor, Maple House, 149 Tottenham Court Road, London, W1T 7NF UK
| | - Ruimin Ma
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Kings College London, London, UK
| | - Merle Schlief
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, Wing B, 6th Floor, Maple House, 149 Tottenham Court Road, London, W1T 7NF UK
| | - Brynmor Lloyd-Evans
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, Wing B, 6th Floor, Maple House, 149 Tottenham Court Road, London, W1T 7NF UK
| | - Sarah Ikhtabi
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, Wing B, 6th Floor, Maple House, 149 Tottenham Court Road, London, W1T 7NF UK
| | - Sonia Johnson
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, Wing B, 6th Floor, Maple House, 149 Tottenham Court Road, London, W1T 7NF UK
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Zhang Y, Huang L, Luo Y, Ai H. The Relationship Between State Loneliness and Depression Among Youths During COVID-19 Lockdown: Coping Style as Mediator. Front Psychol 2021; 12:701514. [PMID: 34594266 PMCID: PMC8476915 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.701514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has had a great impact on public mental health. However, loneliness during the lockdown related to depression and whether the relationship would be mediated by coping style or whether sex moderates loneliness and coping style are not clear. The study aimed to examine the mediating role of coping style in the relationship between state loneliness and depression as well as the moderating role of sex in the relationship between state loneliness and coping styles during the COVID-19 lockdown. Participants were 337 college students in China during the COVID-19 pandemic (January–February 2020). States of depression and anxiety, state loneliness, and coping styles with COVID-19 were measured. The results show that loneliness was an effective predictor of depression during self-quarantine. Moreover, coping style mediated the relationship between state loneliness and depression although sex did not moderate the relationship between state loneliness and coping style. Youths were inclined to use more positive coping strategies than negative coping strategies. Our results indicate less loneliness is an effective way to relieve depression, and coping strategies, especially the positive ones, are important for youths to prevent depression and loneliness during the lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yayun Zhang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Neuroscience, Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center, Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Sciences, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lin Huang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Neuroscience, Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center, Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Sciences, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yuejia Luo
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Neuroscience, Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center, Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Sciences, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Center for Emotion and Brain, Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hui Ai
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Neuroscience, Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center, Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Sciences, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Center for Emotion and Brain, Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen, China
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Emotionally focused therapy: Attachment, connection, and health. Curr Opin Psychol 2021; 43:146-150. [PMID: 34375935 DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2021.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
In this review, we suggest attachment science as a framework for understanding the negative impact of loneliness and social disconnection on mental and physical health and for guiding the interventions of clinicians. We provide an overview of current findings linking loneliness and social isolation to mental health problems such as depression and anxiety, as well as to physical illnesses such as heart disease. We propose emotionally focused therapy for couples, families, and individuals to enhance the quality of people's emotional ties to significant others and their subjective sense of social connectedness. We conclude by suggesting that the strengthening of emotional, interpersonal bonds, which is the primary focus of all forms of emotionally focused therapy, can help restore emotional balance, thereby protecting people from chronic feelings of isolation and the host of health problems that they can cause.
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