Citation

Hamm ME, Brown PJ, Karp JF, Lenard E, Cameron F, Dawdani A, Lavretsky H, Miller JP, Mulsant BH, Pham VT, Reynolds CF, Roose SP, Lenze EJ. Am. J. Geriatr. Psychiatry 2020; 28(9): 924-932.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jagp.2020.06.013

PMID

32682619

PMCID

PMC7305766

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of older adults with pre-existing major depressive disorder (MDD).
PARTICIPANTS: Participants were 73 community-living older adults with pre-existing MDD (mean age 69 [SD 6]) in Los Angeles, New York, Pittsburgh, and St Louis.
DESIGN AND MEASUREMENTS: During the first 2 months of the pandemic, the authors interviewed participants with a semistructured qualitative interview evaluating access to care, mental health, quality of life, and coping. The authors also assessed depression, anxiety, and suicidality with validated scales and compared scores before and during the pandemic.
RESULTS: Five themes from the interviews highlight the experience of older adults with MDD: 1) They are more concerned about the risk of contracting the virus than the risks of isolation. 2) They exhibit resilience to the stress and isolation of physical distancing. 3) Most are not isolated socially, with virtual contact with friends and family. 4) Their quality of life is lower, and they worry their mental health will suffer with continued physical distancing. 5) They are outraged by an inadequate governmental response to the pandemic. Depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation symptom scores did not differ from scores before the pandemic.
CONCLUSION: Most older adults with pre-existing MDD show resilience in the first 2 months of the COVID-19 pandemic but have concerns about the future. Policies and interventions to provide access to medical services and opportunities for social interaction are needed to help to maintain mental health and quality of life as the pandemic continues.

Language: en

Keywords

Humans; United States; Aged; Female; Male; Qualitative Research; COVID-19; Anxiety; resilience; Comorbidity; Suicidal Ideation; Quality of Life; depression; anxiety; Depressive Disorder, Major; SARS-CoV-2; Pandemics; Coronavirus Infections; Betacoronavirus; Pneumonia, Viral; Covid-19 Pandemic