COVID-19 worries and mental health: the moderating effect of age
COVID-19 worries and mental health: the moderating effect of age
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DOI：
10.1080/13607863.2020.1856778
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发表时间：
2020-11-29
影响因子：
3.4
通讯作者：
Shook, Natalie J.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Wilson, Jenna M.;Lee, Jerin;Shook, Natalie J.
年龄较大（60岁以上）增加了感染和死于2019年冠状病毒病（COVID-19）的风险，这可能意味着在大流行期间，这一年龄段的人的心理健康状况更差。事实上，对COVID-19的担忧越大，心理健康状况就越差。然而，年龄越大，情绪幸福感越好，尽管随着年龄的增长，负面事件（如配偶死亡）的可能性增加。这项研究调查了年龄是否会调节COVID-19担忧与心理健康之间的关系。方法在2020年3月30日至4月5日期间，对848名18-85岁的美国成年人进行了在线调查。该调查评估了焦虑、抑郁、对COVID-19的普遍担忧、感染COVID-19的可能性、社交距离、自我隔离、当前情绪、健康状况和人口统计数据。结果年龄越大，心理健康状况越好（即焦虑和抑郁水平越低）。感染COVID-19的可能性越大，焦虑程度越高。然而，这种影响随着年龄的增长而减弱。在年龄较小（18-49岁）的人群中，感知感染COVID-19的可能性与焦虑之间存在显著正相关，但在年龄较大（50岁以上）的人群中，这种关联不显著。结论老年可以缓冲新冠肺炎大流行对心理健康的负面影响。需要进行更多的研究，以了解年龄在大流行期间以及恢复期的潜在保护性质。
BackgroundOlder age (60+ years) increases the risk of contracting and dying from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which might suggest worse mental health for those in this age range during the pandemic. Indeed, greater worry about COVID-19 is associated with poorer mental health. However, older age is generally associated with better emotional well-being, despite increased likelihood of negative events (e.g. death of a spouse) with age. This study examined whether age moderated the relation between COVID-19 worries and mental health.MethodsA national sample of U.S. adults (N = 848; aged 18-85 years) completed an online survey from March 30 to April 5, 2020. The survey assessed anxiety, depression, general concern about COVID-19, perceived likelihood of contracting COVID-19, social distancing, self-quarantining, current mood, health, and demographics.ResultsOlder age was associated with better mental health (i.e. lower levels of anxiety and depression). Greater perceived likelihood of contracting COVID-19 was related to higher anxiety. However, this effect was moderated by age. At younger ages (18-49 years), the positive association between perceived likelihood of contracting COVID-19 and anxiety was significant, but the association was not significant at older ages (50+ years).ConclusionOlder age may buffer against the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health. More research is necessary to understand the potential protective nature of age during the pandemic, as well as the recovery period.