Changes in Satisfaction with Meaningful Activities and Onset of Depressive Symptoms among Community-Dwelling Japanese Older Adults: A Population-Based Study Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

ObjectivesThis study aimed to clarify the association between changes in satisfaction with meaningful activities and the occurrence of depressive symptoms before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.DesignA population-based prospective cohort study (Tarumizu Study).Setting and ParticipantsA total of 231 community-dwelling older adults aged ≥65 years without depressive symptoms at baseline.MethodsThe participants completed baseline (June to December 2018, before the COVID-19 pandemic) and follow-up (September to December 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic) assessments. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) and defined by a GDS-15 score of ≥5. Participants selected meaningful activities from the 95 activities included in the Aid for Decision-Making in Occupation Choice, and their satisfaction levels were evaluated. Satisfaction with the most meaningful activities was assessed as to whether it was maintained/improved or decreased at follow-up.ResultsIn the follow-up survey, 31 (14.3%) participants reported the occurrence of depressive symptoms. Compared with before the COVID-19 pandemic, the rates of meaningful activities during the COVID-19 pandemic decreased for interpersonal interaction and social life and increased for leisure, sports, self-care, and domestic life. Logistic regression analysis revealed that changes in satisfaction with meaningful activity were associated with the occurrence of depressive symptoms after adjusting for demographic variables, baseline GDS scores, cognitive and physical status, and instrumental activities of daily living (odds ratio, 2.78; 95% confidence interval, 1.17–6.59, P = .020).Conclusions and ImplicationsTo avoid decreasing satisfaction with meaningful activities, supporting older adults may be protective against the occurrence of depressive symptoms. Our findings highlight the need for health care professionals to not only encourage older adults to participate in activities for their mental health but also consider whether the activities are meaningful or satisfying for them.     

社区老年人社会隔离与抑郁症状的纵向研究

目的 采用交叉滞后分析模型探讨社区老年人社会隔离与抑郁症状的纵向关联。方法 采用分层整群抽样法对济南市789名社区老年人在2019年10月至2020年8月进行为期10个月的纵向追踪调查,使用Lubben社会网络量表简化版和老年抑郁量表简化版进行两次测量（T1和T2）。结果 社区老年人社会隔离与抑郁症状均具有一定稳定性;2个时间点的社会隔离与抑郁症状均呈负相关（r=-0.429,-0.327,P<0.001）。交叉滞后回归分析显示,在控制T1抑郁症状后,T1社会隔离显著预测T2抑郁症状（β=-0.136,P<0.001）;控制T1社会隔离后,T1抑郁症状对T2社会隔离的预测作用无统计学意义（β=-0.012,P=0.750）。结论 社会隔离是老年人抑郁症状的前因变量,社会隔离可以显著预测抑郁症状。     

基于组基轨迹建模的中国老年人抑郁症状发展轨迹研究

目的 识别中国老年人抑郁症状的不同发展轨迹及其影响因素.方法 使用2011年、2013年、2015年、2018年的中国健康与养老追踪调查数据,利用组基轨迹模型识别5 585名≥60岁老年人的抑郁症状发展轨迹,运用多分类lo-gistic 回归分析抑郁轨迹发展轨迹的影响因素.结果 识别出"无抑郁症状组"(58.58％)、...     

Longitudinal change in depressive symptoms among healthcare professionals with and without COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy from October 2020 to June 2021 in Japan

This study aimed to compare the longitudinal change in depressive symptoms among healthcare professionals in Japan who are willing to receive novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination and those who are unwilling to receive COVID-19 vaccination. The baseline survey was conducted in October 2020 (Survey time 1: T1); respondents in T1 were invited to participate in May 2021 (Survey time 2: T2). Depressive symptoms were assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Group comparisons of the estimated mean of PHQ-9 score at T1 and T2 were estimated by the analysis of covariance. In T1, 597 participants (response rate: 4.4%) completed all questions. In T2, 211 participants (follow up rate: 35.3%) completed all questions. The group and time interaction effect was significant (F(1, 207)=3.9, p=0.049); depressive symptoms were worse among healthcare professionals who were unwilling to receive vaccination than among those who were willing to receive vaccination. This study showed that depressive symptoms were worse among healthcare professionals who were unwilling to receive COVID-19 vaccination than those who are willing to receive COVID-19 vaccination. This suggests that it is important to take care of healthcare professionals who are unwilling to receive vaccination to prevent mental health deterioration.     

健康相关社会资本对中老年社区居民抑郁症状的影响

目的 研究中老年社区居民群体健康相关社会资本对抑郁症状的影响,为提升其心理健康水平提供依据。方法 采用多阶段分层整群抽样的方法,抽取成都市中老年居民1432人进行问卷调查。抑郁症状采用流调中心抑郁水平评定量表（CES-D）,健康相关社会资本由自编社会资本量表测量。应用多因素logistic回归分析中老年居民社会资本对其抑郁症状的影响。结果 中老年社区居民抑郁症状发生率为25.4%。不同性别、婚姻状况、文化程度、工作状况、健康状况的中老年人社会资本不同（P<0.05）;在控制人口学特征、健康危险因素等变量的情况下,家庭关系较好的中老年人产生抑郁症状的可能性较低（OR=0.555, 95%CI: 0.429~0.720）、社区信任与归属感得分较高的老年人产生抑郁症状的可能性较低（OR=0.726, 95%CI: 0.553~0.952）。结论 家庭关系、社会归属与信任感是影响社区中老年居民心理健康的主要社会资本因素,应对影响居民抑郁症状的因素采取有针对性的措施进行干预。     

Social participation and depressive symptoms of carer-employees of older adults in Canada: a cross-sectional analysis of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging

ObjectivesThis study used two waves of data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) to investigate the association between social participation and depressive symptoms in carer-employees (CEs) and non-carer-employees (NCEs).MethodsAdopting Pearlin et al.’s stress model, multivariate linear regression was used to examine the relationships among carer role, social participation, and depressive symptoms in Canadian employees using the first two waves of CLSA data, while controlling for possible confounders.ResultsHigher levels of social participation were found to be associated with lower depressive symptoms in both waves. Social participation was found to moderate depressive symptoms for CEs when compared with NCEs in Wave 2 but not in Wave 1.ConclusionThe present study highlights the importance of social participation in reducing CEs’ depressive symptoms. The findings provide support for innovative policy and intervention efforts to encourage and enhance social participation at work via carer-friendly workplace policies for CEs across Canada.     

基于社交媒体的新冠肺炎(COVID-19)研究进展

2020年3月,世界卫生组织（World Health Organization,WHO）宣布,新型冠状病毒肺炎（coronavirus disease 2019,COVID-19）已发生全球性大流行。社交媒体作为一种实时开放的网络信息共享媒介,在疫情期间不仅为疫情信息监测与预判提供了有益数据来源,也为公众信息获取、医疗健康服务与舆情监测提供了重要途径,在疫情防控中体现出不可忽视的价值。然而,目前仍存在预测模型应用范围有限和易传播错误信息等缺陷。在全球化背景下,充分利用社交媒体及时、前瞻、敏感的监控优势,能够为COVID-19乃至未来新发传染病疫情的防控提供有益的思路和方法。未来可围绕如何制定基于社交媒体的预测流程范式以及消除数据共享壁垒等方面,逐步推进相关领域的方法优化与实践应用,为疫情防控提供支持和保障。     

The Effect of Age on Mortality in Patients With COVID-19: A Meta-Analysis With 611,583 Subjects

ObjectivesInitial data on COVID-19 infection has pointed out a special vulnerability of older adults.DesignWe performed a meta-analysis with available national reports on May 7, 2020 from China, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, and New York State. Analyses were performed by a random effects model, and sensitivity analyses were performed for the identification of potential sources of heterogeneity.Setting and participantsCOVID-19–positive patients reported in literature and national reports.MeasuresAll-cause mortality by age.ResultsA total of 611,1583 subjects were analyzed and 141,745 (23.2%) were aged ≥80 years. The percentage of octogenarians was different in the 5 registries, the lowest being in China (3.2%) and the highest in the United Kingdom and New York State. The overall mortality rate was 12.10% and it varied widely between countries, the lowest being in China (3.1%) and the highest in the United Kingdom (20.8%) and New York State (20.99%). Mortality was <1.1% in patients aged <50 years and it increased exponentially after that age in the 5 national registries. As expected, the highest mortality rate was observed in patients aged ≥80 years. All age groups had significantly higher mortality compared with the immediately younger age group. The largest increase in mortality risk was observed in patients aged 60 to 69 years compared with those aged 50 to 59 years (odds ratio 3.13, 95% confidence interval 2.61-3.76).Conclusions and ImplicationsThis meta-analysis with more than half million of COVID-19 patients from different countries highlights the determinant effect of age on mortality with the relevant thresholds on age >50 years and, especially, >60 years. Older adult patients should be prioritized in the implementation of preventive measures.     

Perceived neighborhood social cohesion and subsequent health and well-being in older adults: An outcome-wide longitudinal approach

BackgroundGrowing research documents associations between neighborhood social cohesion with better health and well-being. However, other work has identified social cohesion's “dark side” and its ability to promote negative outcomes. It remains unclear if such diverging findings are attributable to differences in study design, or other reasons. To better capture its potential heterogeneous effects, we took an outcome-wide analytic approach to examine perceived neighborhood social cohesion in relation to a range of health and well-being outcomes.MethodsData were from 12,998 participants in the Health and Retirement Study—a large, diverse, prospective, and nationally representative cohort of U.S. adults age >50. Multiple regression models evaluated if social cohesion was associated with physical health, health behavior, psychological well-being, psychological distress, and social well-being outcomes. All models adjusted for sociodemographics, personality, and numerous baseline health and well-being characteristics. To evaluate the effects of change in cohesion, we adjusted for prior social cohesion. Bonferroni correction was used to account for multiple testing.ResultsPerceived neighborhood social cohesion was not associated with most physical health outcomes (except for reduced risk of physical functioning limitations and better self-rated health) nor health behavior outcomes (except for more binge drinking). However, it was associated with numerous subsequent psychosocial well-being (i.e., higher: positive affect, life satisfaction, optimism, purpose in life, mastery, health mastery, financial mastery; reduced likelihood of infrequent contact with friends) and psychological distress outcomes (i.e., lower depression, hopelessness, negative affect, loneliness) over the 4-year follow-up period.ConclusionsWith further research, these results suggest that perceived neighborhood social cohesion might be a valuable target for innovative policies aimed at improving well-being.     

Social Isolation and Self-Reported Cognitive Decline Among Older Adults in Japan: A Longitudinal Study in the COVID-19 Pandemic

ObjectivesWe aimed to examine the association between the transition to social isolation and cognitive decline in older adults during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.DesignLongitudinal study.Setting and ParticipantsThe study included participants from a community in a semiurban area of Japan. We conducted a mailed questionnaire survey of 2000 noninstitutionalized older adults who were randomly sampled. Of those who completed both the baseline and follow-up surveys in March and October 2020, respectively, participants aged ≥70 years without cognitive impairment at baseline were included in the analysis.MethodsParticipants were classified into 4 groups based on their baseline and follow-up social isolation status, which were as follows: “remained nonisolated,” “isolated from nonisolation,” “nonisolated from isolation,” and “consistent isolation.” Self-reported cognitive function was assessed using the Cognitive Performance Scale, and level 2 (mild impairment) or higher (moderate to severe impairment) was defined as cognitive impairment.ResultsUltimately, 955 older adults were analyzed. The mean age of the participants was 79.6 years (standard deviation = 4.7) and 54.7% were women. During the follow-up period, 54 (5.7%) participants developed cognitive impairment. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that compared with the group that remained nonisolated, the isolated from nonisolation and consistent isolation groups were significantly associated with the onset of cognitive impairment [isolated from nonisolation: odds ratio (OR) = 2.74, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.13-6.61, P = .026; consistent isolation: OR = 2.33, 95% CI = 1.07-5.05, P = .033].Conclusions and ImplicationsSocial isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a decline in cognitive function among older adults. Attention to the social isolation process during the pandemic may be necessary to protect older adults’ cognitive health.     

A cross-sectional analysis of the association between social capital and willingness to get COVID-19 vaccine in Ontario,Canada

ObjectiveWe examine the role of social capital in intention to take the vaccine at the end of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsThis study uses observational, cross-sectional data from the Ontario sample of the fall 2020 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), a representative sample of the population with added questions relative to symptoms of COVID-19 and intentions to get vaccinated. Questions on social capital were asked to respondents from Ontario only, yielding a sample of 6516. Odds ratios (OR) and marginal effects at sample mean of an index of social capital (at the individual or aggregated level) on changes in intentions to get vaccinated are estimated from logistic regression models.ResultsIndividual-level social capital is associated with greater willingness to get vaccinated against COVID-19 (OR 1.09). Associations with aggregated-level social capital are less precisely estimated. Associations are the same for both males and females but vary across age categories: individual-level social capital is associated with higher willingness to get vaccinated among working-age respondents, but aggregate-level social capital is associated with higher willingness to get vaccinated among older adults.ConclusionVaccine hesitancy is not a random phenomenon, nor is it explained by individual characteristics such as education or income only. It also reflects the state of the social environment in which individuals live and public health messaging should take this into account if it is to be successful.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.17269/s41997-023-00746-9.     

Relationship between neighbourhood social participation and depression among older adults: A longitudinal study in China

Previous research has found a negative linkage between neighbourhood social participation and depressive symptoms in Western countries, but the cross‐sectional design of these studies limits the ability to infer causality. Little attention has been paid to socio‐psychological pathways linking neighbourhood social participation to depressive symptoms among older adults in China. This study aimed to examine the impact of neighbourhood social participation on depressive symptoms among older adults in China. It also further explored the mediating roles of physical activity, social contact among neighbours, and contact with own children in the relationship between social participation and depressive symptoms. Data obtained through three waves (2011, 2013, and 2015) of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study were used. The sample consisted of 10,105 individuals aged 60 and above and 24,623 person‐year records captured during these three waves. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiology Studies of Depression scale. Results showed that respondents' depression decreased with an increasing level of neighbourhood social participation, more time spent on physical activities, and a higher frequency of contact with neighbours and with own children. These factors were found to partly mediate the relationship between neighbourhood social participation and depression. The negative relationships between social contact and depression and contact with own children and depression were both strengthened by neighbourhood social participation. In conclusion, physical activity, social contact among neighbours and contact with own children are mechanisms through which neighbourhood social participation lowers the risk of depression among older adults in China.     

COVID-19 vaccine intention among young adults: Comparative results from a cross-sectional study in Canada and France

BackgroundHigh rates of COVID-19 vaccination uptake are required to attain community immunity. This study aims to identify factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine uncertainty and refusal among young adults, an underexplored population with regards to vaccine intention generally, in two high-income settings: Canada and France.MethodsA cross-sectional online survey was conducted from October to December 2020 among young adults ages 18–29 years (n = 6663) living in Canada (51.9%) and France (48.1%). Multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the sociodemographic and COVID-19-related measures (e.g., prevention behavior and perspectives, health-related concerns) associated with vaccine uncertainty and refusal. ?We conducted weighted analyses by age, gender and province/region of residence.ResultsIntention to accept vaccination was reported by 84.3% and 59.7% of the sample in Canada and France, respectively. Higher levels of vaccine uncertainty and refusal were observed in France compared to Canada (30.1% versus 11%, 10.2% versus 4.7%). In both countries, we found higher levels of vaccine acceptance among young adults who reported COVID-19 prevention actions. Vaccine uncertainty and refusal were associated with living in a rural area, having lower levels of educational attainment, not looking for information about COVID-19, not wearing a face mask, and reporting a lower level of concern for COVID-19′s impact on family. Participants who had been tested for COVID-19 were less likely to intend to refuse a vaccine.ConclusionsCOVID-19 vaccine acceptance was high among young adults in Canada and France during a time in which vaccines were approved for use. Targeted interventions to build confidence in demographic groups with greater hesitance (e.g., rural and with less personal experience with COVID-19) may further boost acceptance and improve equity as vaccine efforts continue to unfold.     

Household- and employment-related risk factors for depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic

ObjectivesThe COVID-19 pandemic has generated multiple psychological stressors, which may increase the prevalence of depressive symptoms. Utilizing Canadian survey data, this study assessed household- and employment-related risk factors for depressive symptoms during the pandemic.MethodsA sample of 1005 English-speaking Canadian adults aged 18+ years completed a web-based survey after physical distancing measures were implemented across Canada. Hierarchical binary logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the associations of depressive symptoms with household- (household size, presence of children, residence locale) and employment-related (job with high risk of COVID-19 exposure, working from home, laid off/not working, financial worry) risk factors, controlling for demographic factors (gender, age, education, income).ResultsAbout 20.4% of the sample reported depressive symptoms at least 3 days per week. The odds of experiencing depressive symptoms 3+ days in the past week were higher among women (AOR = 1.67, p = 0.002) and younger adults (18–29 years AOR = 2.62, p < 0.001). After adjusting for demographic variables, the odds of experiencing depressive symptoms were higher in households with 4+ persons (AOR = 1.88, p = 0.01), in households with children aged 6 to 12 years (AOR = 1.98, p = 0.02), among those with a job at high risk for exposure to COVID-19 (AOR = 1.82, p = 0.01), and those experiencing financial worry due to COVID-19 (‘very worried’ AOR = 8.00, p < 0.001).ConclusionPandemic responses must include resources for mental health interventions. Additionally, further research is needed to track mental health trajectories and inform the development, targeting, and implementation of appropriate mental health prevention and treatment interventions.     

Effects of organizational justice on depressive symptoms and sickness absence: A longitudinal perspective

A longitudinal three-wave study among a large representative sample of 1519 employees of various companies in The Netherlands examined how organizational justice (as measured by distributive and procedural justice) was related to depressive symptoms and sickness absence. It was predicted that perceived justice would contribute to lower depressive symptoms and sickness absence, whereas depressive symptoms and absenteeism in turn would contribute to lower perceptions of organizational justice. In line with the predictions, we found that both distributive and procedural justice contributed to lower depressive symptoms, and distributive justice contributed to lower sickness absence in the following year. With regard to reversed effects, sickness absence contributed to lower perceptions of distributive justice to some extent. Moreover, sickness absence was related to higher depressive symptoms a year later. This research shows the importance of justice in organizations as a means to enhance the wellbeing of people at work and to prevent absenteeism.     

A prospective study of cultural consonance and depressive symptoms in urban Brazil

Cultural consonance refers to the degree to which individuals, in their own beliefs and behaviors, approximate the prototypes for belief and behavior encoded in shared cultural models. In previous cross-sectional studies, lower cultural consonance in several cultural domains was associated with worse health outcomes, including greater psychological distress. The current paper extends these findings in three ways. First, the effect of cultural consonance on depressive symptoms is tested in a prospective study. Second, it is hypothesized that the effect of cultural consonance in a specific cultural domain will depend on the degree of cultural consensus within that domain: the higher the cultural consensus, the greater the effect of change in cultural consonance in that domain on depressive symptoms. Third, it is hypothesized that cultural consonance will have an inverse effect on depressive symptoms independent of the occurrence of stressful life events (a well-known risk factor for depression). We tested these hypotheses in a study conducted in urban Brazil, and found that change in cultural consonance (assessed as a general construct) was associated with depressive symptoms at a 2-year follow-up. Furthermore, cultural consonance in the domains in which there was highest cultural consensus—the domains of family life and lifestyle—was more strongly associated with depressive symptoms at follow-up than cultural consonance in domains with lower cultural consensus. Finally, all of these effects were independent of stressful life events. These results lend further support to the importance of cultural consonance in relation to human health.     

A global agenda for older adult immunization in the COVID-19 era: A roadmap for action

Given our global interconnectedness, the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the urgency of building a global system that can support both routine and pandemic/epidemic adult immunization. As such, a framework to recommend vaccines and build robust platforms to deliver them to protect the rapidly expanding demographic of older adults is needed. Adult immunization as a strategy has the broad potential to preserve and improve medical, social, and economic outcomes, including maintaining functional ability that benefits older adults, their families, communities, and countries. While we will soon have multiple vaccines against COVID-19, we must recognize that we already have a variety of vaccines against other pathogens that can keep adults healthier. They can prevent simultaneous co-infection with COVID-19, and may favorably impact- the outcome of a COVID-19 illness. Further, administering a vaccine against COVID-19 requires planning now to determine delivery strategies impacting how older adults will be immunized in a timely manner. A group of international experts with various backgrounds from health and aging disciplines met to discuss the evidence case for adult immunization and crucial knowledge gaps that must be filled in order to implement effective policies and programs for older adult immunization. This group, coming together as the International Council on Adult Immunization (ICAI), outlined a high-level roadmap to catalyze action, provide policy guidance, and envision a global adult immunization platform that can be adapted by countries to fit their local contexts. Further meetings centered around the value of adult immunization, particularly in the context of COVID-19. There was agreement that programs to deliver existing influenza, pneumococcal, herpes zoster vaccines, and future COVID-19 vaccines to over a billion older adults who are at substantially higher risk of death and disability due to vaccine-preventable diseases are more urgent than ever before. Here we present a proposed framework for delivering routine and pandemic vaccines. We call upon the global community and governments to prioritize action for integrating robust adult immunization programs into the public health agenda.     

Longitudinal associations between neighbourhood physical environments and depressive symptoms of older adults in Hong Kong: The moderating effects of terrain slope and declining functional abilities

Little is known about the accumulative impacts of neighbourhood physical environments on older adults’ depressive symptoms over time. Based on a cohort study of 2081 older adults in Hong Kong, this study examined longitudinal relationships between neighbourhood physical environments and depressive symptoms among older adults, with a particular focus on the moderating effects of terrain slope and individual functional ability using latent growth curve modelling. Results indicated that the availability of community centres and passive leisure facilities reduced depressive symptoms over time. The protective effects of residential surrounding greenness on depressive symptoms among older adults differed by the terrain slope types. Longitudinal associations between neighbourhood physical environments and depressive symptoms varied between older adults with and without functional limitations. This study has implications for the Ecological Theory of Ageing by identifying the dynamic interplay of environment demands and individual functional ability. Planning policies for building age-friendly neighbourhoods are discussed.