ArticleBJPsych open2021
Risk factors for depression during the COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal study in middle-aged and older adults.
Article in BJPsych open, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 19 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
19 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Pooled it
- Protocol for the 'Beyond 50' prospective observational cohort study: investigating the impact of physical and psychosocial factors on healthy ageing.BMC public health · 2025Observational
- Comparison of Logistic Regression and Machine Learning Approaches in Predicting Depressive Symptoms: A National-Based Study.Psychiatry investigation · 2025Article
- Article
- Article
- Unexpected effects of pandemic-related changes on mental health: Evidence from a nationwide survey in South Korea.PloS one · 2025Article
- Association between psychological depression and physical health in Chinese empty-nesters during the COVID-19 pandemic.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2025Article
- Changes in well-being among socially isolated older people during the COVID-19 pandemic: An outcome-wide analysis.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2024Article
- Socioeconomic status, loneliness, and depression among older adults: a cross-sectional study in Spain.BMC geriatrics · 2024Article
- Social Networks, the COVID-19 Pandemic, and Emerging Adults' Mental Health: Resiliency Through Social Bonding and Cohesion.American journal of public health · 2024Article
- Social isolation and loneliness among older adults living in rural areas during the COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping review.BMC geriatrics · 2023Article
- Living alone and mental health: parallel analyses in UK longitudinal population surveys and electronic health records prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic.BMJ mental health · 2023Article
- Profiles of risk factors for depressive and anxiety symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic: A latent class analysis.Psychiatry research · 2023Article
- Psycho-Emotional Factors Associated with Depressive Symptoms during Lockdown Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Mexican Population.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Article
- The Relationship between Physical Activity and Mental Depression in Older Adults during the Prevention and Control of COVID-19: A Mixed Model with Mediating and Moderating Effects.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Article
- Article
- Longitudinal dynamics of depression in risk groups of older individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic.Frontiers in epidemiology · 2023Article
- Patterns of Internet Use, and Associations with Loneliness, amongst Middle-Aged and Older Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Article
- Effect of lockdown on mental health in Australia: evidence from a natural experiment analysing a longitudinal probability sample survey.The Lancet. Public health · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic and resultant social restrictions have had widespread psychological ramifications, including a rise in depression prevalence. However, longitudinal studies on sociodemographic risk factors are lacking.
aimsTo quantify longitudinal changes in depression symptoms during the pandemic compared with a pre-pandemic baseline, in middle-aged and older adults, and identify the risk factors contributing to this.
methodA total of 5331 participants aged ≥50 years were drawn from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Self-reported depression symptoms in June/July 2020 were compared with baseline data from 2-3 years prior. Regression models investigated sociodemographic and lifestyle variables that could explain variance in change in depression.
resultsWithin-participant depression scores increased significantly from pre-pandemic levels: 14% met the criteria for clinical depression at baseline, compared with 26% during the pandemic. Younger age, female gender, higher depression scores at baseline, living alone and having a long-standing illness were significant risk factors. Gender-stratified regression models indicated that older age was protective for women only, whereas urban living increased risk among women only. Being an alcohol consumer was a protective factor among men only.
conclusionsDepression in UK adults aged ≥50 years increased significantly during the pandemic. Being female, living alone and having a long-standing illness were prominent risk factors. Younger women living in urban areas were at particularly high risk, suggesting such individuals should be prioritised for support. Findings are also informative for future risk stratification and intervention strategies, particularly if social restrictions are reimposed as the COVID-19 crisis continues to unfold.
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