1
|
Leung DKY, Yiu EKL, Liu T, Zhang W, Kwok WW, Sze LCY, Wong GHY, Lum TYS. Supporting Older Adults' Mental Health Against Suspected Mental Health Problems: The Moderating Role of an Age-Friendly Neighborhood. J Appl Gerontol 2024:7334648241258032. [PMID: 39147595 DOI: 10.1177/07334648241258032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/17/2024] Open
Abstract
This study examined how compensatory and enabling domains of an Age-Friendly City (AFC) moderate the relationship between suspected mental health problems and depressive and anxiety symptoms among older adults. Four thousand six hundred and twenty-five Hong Kong Chinese aged ≥60 years completed a telephone survey between April and July 2022, including PHQ-2 and GAD-2. AFC indices sourced from prior territory-wide study. Linear mixed models showed that enabling AFC domains, namely, social participation, respect and social inclusion, and civic participation and employment, alleviated the effects of suspected mental health problems on respondents' depressive and anxiety symptoms (b = -0.40 to -0.56). Three-way interaction models revealed that the protective effects of all compensatory and enabling AFCC domains (b = -1.23 to -6.18), except civic participation and employment, were stronger in old-old (70-79 years) and oldest-old (≥80 years) than young-old (60-69 years). AFCC-based interventions should focus on compensatory and enabling domains to support older adults' mental health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dara Kiu Yi Leung
- Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Eric Kwok Lun Yiu
- Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Tianyin Liu
- Department of Applied Social Sciences, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wen Zhang
- School of Nursing and Health Studies, Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wai-Wai Kwok
- Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Lesley Cai Yin Sze
- Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Gloria Hoi Yan Wong
- Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Terry Yat Sang Lum
- Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Sau Po Centre on Ageing, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Liu J, Gui Z, Chen P, Cai H, Feng Y, Ho TI, Rao SY, Su Z, Cheung T, Ng CH, Wang G, Xiang YT. A network analysis of the interrelationships between depression, anxiety, insomnia and quality of life among fire service recruits. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1348870. [PMID: 39022427 PMCID: PMC11252005 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1348870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Research on the mental health and quality of life (hereafter QOL) among fire service recruits after the end of the COVID-19 restrictions is lacking. This study explored the network structure of depression, anxiety and insomnia, and their interconnections with QOL among fire service recruits in the post-COVID-19 era. Methods This cross-sectional study used a consecutive sampling of fire service recruits across China. We measured the severity of depression, anxiety and insomnia symptoms, and overall QOL using the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), seven-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) questionnaire, and World Health Organization Quality of Life-brief version (WHOQOL-BREF), respectively. We estimated the most central symptoms using the centrality index of expected influence (EI), and the symptoms connecting depression, anxiety and insomnia symptoms using bridge EI. Results In total, 1,560 fire service recruits participated in the study. The prevalence of depression (PHQ-9 ≥ 5) was 15.2% (95% CI: 13.5-17.1%), while the prevalence of anxiety (GAD-7 ≥ 5) was 11.2% (95% CI: 9.6-12.8%). GAD4 ("Trouble relaxing") had the highest EI in the whole network model, followed by ISI5 ("Interference with daytime functioning") and GAD6 ("Irritability"). In contrast, PHQ4 ("Fatigue") had the highest bridge EI values in the network, followed by GAD4 ("Trouble relaxing") and ISI5 ("Interference with daytime functioning"). Additionally, ISI4 "Sleep dissatisfaction" (average edge weight = -1.335), which was the central symptom with the highest intensity value, had the strongest negative correlation with QOL. Conclusion Depression and anxiety were important mental health issues to address among fire service recruits in the post-COVID-19 era in China. Targeting central and bridge symptoms identified in network analysis could help address depression and anxiety among fire service recruits in the post-COVID-19 era.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jian Liu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, China Emergency General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Zhen Gui
- Unit of Psychiatry, Department of Public Health and Medicinal Administration, Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, Macao SAR, China
- Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, Macao SAR, China
| | - Pan Chen
- Unit of Psychiatry, Department of Public Health and Medicinal Administration, Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, Macao SAR, China
- Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, Macao SAR, China
| | - Hong Cai
- Unit of Medical Psychology and Behavior Medicine, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Yuan Feng
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders and National Center for Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Tin-Ian Ho
- Unit of Psychiatry, Department of Public Health and Medicinal Administration, Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, Macao SAR, China
| | - Shu-Ying Rao
- Unit of Psychiatry, Department of Public Health and Medicinal Administration, Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, Macao SAR, China
| | - Zhaohui Su
- School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Teris Cheung
- School of Nursing, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Chee H. Ng
- Department of Psychiatry, TheMelbourne Clinic and St Vincent’s Hospital, University of Melbourne, Richmond, Victoria, VIC, Australia
| | - Gang Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders and National Center for Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yu-Tao Xiang
- Unit of Psychiatry, Department of Public Health and Medicinal Administration, Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, Macao SAR, China
- Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, Macao SAR, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Negative ageism and compassionate ageism in news coverage of older people under COVID-19: how did the pandemic progression and public health responses associate with different news themes? AGEING & SOCIETY 2023. [DOI: 10.1017/s0144686x22001490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Previous studies have found negative ageing narratives in the media during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, few have focused on compassionate ageism and how the news responded to the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic. We investigated (a) media themes of negative and compassionate ageism and (b) their relationships with COVID-19 parameters and the public health response. The sample included 1,197 articles relevant to COVID-19 and older people in Hong Kong published between January and December 2020. We used thematic analysis to identify themes from the news articles and structural equation modelling to explore these themes' relationship with the number of older people infected, effective reproduction number, number of COVID-19 deaths and public health response parallel in time. Pandemic-related variables were lagged for a day – the time needed to be reflected in the news. Two negative ageism themes portrayed older people as vulnerable to COVID-19 but counterproductive in combating the pandemic. Two compassionate ageism themes depicted older people as a homogenous group of passive assistance recipients. The theme blaming older people was associated with the number of confirmed infections (β = 0.418, p = 0.002) but vulnerability of older people was not associated with pandemic-related variables. The theme helping older people was negatively associated with the percentage of older people in confirmed infections (β = −0.155, p = 0.019). The theme resources available was negatively associated with confirmed infections (β = −0.342, p < 0.001) but positively associated with the Containment and Health Index (β = 0.217, p = 0.005). Findings suggested that negative and compassionate ageism were translated into narratives about older people in the media as the pandemic evolved but did not address the actual risk they faced. Media professionals should be aware of the potential negative and compassionate ageism prompted by the news agenda and promote adequate health behaviours and responses.
Collapse
|