Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39024218›Full record

ArticlePloS one2024

Physical and mental health of 40,000 older women in England during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021).

Sarah Floud, Carol Hermon, Gillian K Reeves

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Sarah FloudNuffield Department of Population Health, Cancer Epidemiology Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0002-6078-9117
Carol HermonNuffield Department of Population Health, Cancer Epidemiology Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
Gillian K ReevesNuffield Department of Population Health, Cancer Epidemiology Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.

Funding

Cancer Research UK A29186Cancer Research UK C570/A16491Medical Research Council MR/K02700X/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTo assess factors associated with perceived changes in physical and mental health and with delays in seeking healthcare during the second and third COVID-19 lockdowns in England (2020-2021).

methodsAn online survey of Million Women Study participants collected data on 44,523 women, mean age 76 (SD = 4), October 2020-May 2021. These data were linked to data collected prospectively on Million Women Study participants at recruitment in median year 1998 and at re-surveys in 2011-2013, as well as to hospital admission data from 2017-2019.

resultsOf 40,821 participants with complete data on the outcomes of interest, 28% reported worse physical health and 26% worse mental health. After adjustment for age, region, education and survey period, poor/fair self-rated health (adjusted OR 2.71, 95% CI 2.52-2.91), having been told to shield (1.92, 1.79-2.05), obesity (2.17, 2.04-2.31) and other measures of poor health prior to the outbreak were all strongly related to worse physical health, as was being an informal carer (1.47, 1.38-1.56) and having a COVID-19 infection (1.64, 1.53-1.77). Depression (2.31, 2.06-2.58), poor/fair self-rated health (1.98, 1.84-2.13) and being an informal carer (1.69, 95% CI 1.58-1.80) were the factors most strongly related to worse mental health. Having poor/fair self-rated health (2.22, 2.05-2.40), obesity (1.58, 1.47-1.70) and being an informal carer (1.45, 1.34-1.56) were all strongly related to delaying seeking medical care. These associations remained essentially unchanged after exclusion of participants who had a COVID-19 infection.

conclusionsIn a large sample of older women in England, just over a quarter reported a deterioration in their physical and mental health during the national lockdowns. In addition to the expected effect of a COVID-19 infection on physical health, the groups who were most likely to report such a deterioration were those with pre-existing morbidity and those who were caring for others as informal carers.

Indexed as

COVID-19Mental HealthAgedAged, 80 and overEnglandFemaleHealth StatusHumansPandemicsSARS-CoV-2Surveys and Questionnaires

Identifiers

PMID39024218
PMCPMC11257346

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.