How did the depression and anxiety levels of older New Zealanders change during the COVID-19 pandemic?

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dc.citation.volumeLatest Articles
dc.contributor.authorMcLean T
dc.contributor.authorWilliams M
dc.contributor.authorStephens C
dc.date.accessioned2024-11-25T00:45:35Z
dc.date.available2024-11-25T00:45:35Z
dc.date.issued2024-10-10
dc.description.abstractThere has been widespread concern about the mental health impact of the global COVID-19 outbreak. Fears have been raised that depression and anxiety among older people may have increased in the pandemic, and that adverse health behaviours, such as increased alcohol use and decreased physical activity, may have contributed to the mental health decline. This study aimed to examine changes in depression, anxiety, alcohol use and physical activity scores of people aged 55 and older in New Zealand over the initial months of the pandemic. The sample included 3,171 people who responded to wave 7 (August-November 2018) and wave 8 (June-September 2020) of the Health, Work and Retirement Study. Analyses were carried out using paired t tests and multilevel mediation modelling. There was no evidence of significant changes in depression or anxiety. Alcohol use and physical activity were shown to decrease significantly, albeit to a small degree, and there was evidence of an indirect effect of time on depression via physical activity. These findings suggest a general resilience among older people 3 to 6 months into the pandemic. However, increased attention should be paid to promoting physical exercise among older people, as a means of decreasing depression risk.
dc.description.confidentialfalse
dc.edition.edition2024
dc.format.pagination1-12
dc.identifier.citationMcLean T, Williams M, Stephens C. (2024). How did the depression and anxiety levels of older New Zealanders change during the COVID-19 pandemic?. Psychology, Health and Medicine. Latest Articles. (pp. 1-12).
dc.identifier.doi10.1080/13548506.2024.2407437
dc.identifier.eissn1465-3966
dc.identifier.elements-typejournal-article
dc.identifier.issn1354-8506
dc.identifier.urihttps://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/72072
dc.languageEnglish
dc.publisherInforma UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group
dc.publisher.urihttps://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13548506.2024.2407437
dc.relation.isPartOfPsychology, Health and Medicine
dc.rights(c) 2024 The Author/s
dc.rightsCC BY-NC-ND 4.0
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
dc.subjectPhysical activity
dc.subjectpandemic
dc.subjectmental health
dc.subjectdepression
dc.subjectanxiety
dc.titleHow did the depression and anxiety levels of older New Zealanders change during the COVID-19 pandemic?
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.elements-id492098
pubs.organisational-groupOther
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