Reducing loneliness and depressive symptoms in older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: A pre-post evaluation of a psychosocial online intervention.

Background: Loneliness is related to worse mental health, particularly in people with poor social support. The COVID-19 pandemic altered our lives and ways of social interaction, especially among vulnerable populations such as older adults.

Methods: We designed a group-based psychosocial online intervention for older adults (≥ 65 years) facilitated by gerontologists addressing loneliness consisting of: (i) sharing experiences and promoting peer support to overcome feelings of loneliness and (ii) increasing the chances of establishing successful social relationships.

The association of material deprivation with major depressive disorder and the role of loneliness and social support: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Existing research has highlighted the positive association of material deprivation, loneliness, and poor social support with major depressive disorder (MDD). However, there is limited information on the complex interplay between these risk factors. In this study, we investigated (1) whether loneliness and social support moderate the relationship between material deprivation and MDD and (2) whether social support moderates the association between material deprivation and loneliness.

Corrigendum/Erratum to "Treatment coverage for depression in the general Spanish population and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic" [Heliyon 10(11) June 2024 e32594].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.

Treatment coverage for depression in the general Spanish population and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Background: Despite the availability of effective antidepressant strategies, numerous people with depressive disorders remain untreated. The Covid-19 pandemic has affected healthcare services, especially the mental health sector. This study aims to explore the coverage of depression treatments in the general Spanish population and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Chronic and Transient Loneliness in Western Countries: Risk Factors and Association With Depression. A 2-Year Follow-Up Study.

Introduction: Our aim was to test risk factors for chronic and transient loneliness as well as cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of courses of loneliness with depression.

Methods: Responses from participants in Wave 5 (T1, 2013) and Wave 6 (T2, 2015) of The Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) (N = 45,490) were analyzed. The existence of clinically significant symptoms of depression was defined as reporting a value greater than or equal to 4 on the Euro-D scale.

Social inequalities in mental and physical health derived from the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain beyond SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Background: Understanding the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on health involves conducting longitudinal studies to evaluate the inequalities that may have been exacerbated by the pandemic. The purpose of this study was to estimate differences in physical and mental health derived from the COVID-19 pandemic, beyond SARS-CoV-2 infection, in the Spanish general population according to the participants' level of education; and to assess the evolution of these differences from June 2020 (just after the lockdown) to nine months later (February-March 2021).

Methods: This is a longitudinal prospective study of a representative sample of non-institutionalized Spanish adults, through computer-assisted telephone interviews.

Loneliness during the last phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain: A longitudinal study of group-based trajectories, risk factors, and consequences in mental health.

Introduction: The present study aims to investigate the courses of loneliness following a national state of emergency including a curfew due to a rise in COVID-19 cases, associated risk factors, and the effect of loneliness on symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Methods: Data of 2,000 adults in Spain which were interviewed by telephone at the first follow-up of the MINDCOVID project (February-March 2021) and of whom 953 were interviewed nine months later (November-December 2021) were analyzed. Group-based trajectories and mixed models were constructed.

Variations in sociodemographic and health-related factors are linked to distinct clusters of individuals with depression based on the PHQ-9 instrument: NHANES 2007-2018.

Background: Depression is a heterogeneous disease. Identification of latent depression subgroups and differential associations across these putative groups and sociodemographic and health-related factors might pave the way toward targeted treatment of individuals.

Methods: We used model-based clustering to identify relevant subgroups of 2900 individuals with moderate to severe depression (defined as scores ≥10 on the PHQ-9 instrument) from the NHANES cross-sectional survey.

The Association of Social Support and Loneliness with Symptoms of Depression, Anxiety, and Posttraumatic Stress during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Meta-Analysis.

Background: Research suggests that changes in social support and loneliness have affected mental disorder symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there are a lack of studies comparing the robustness of these associations.

Aims: The aims were to estimate the strength of the associations of loneliness and social support with symptoms of depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2022) in the general population.

What factors explain the changes in major depressive disorder symptoms by age group during the COVID-19 pandemic? A longitudinal study.

Background: Data collected during the COVID-19 pandemic suggest an increase in major depressive disorder (MDD) among younger adults. The current study aims to assess the association of age groups and MDD risk before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and quantify the effect of potential mediating variables such as loneliness, social support, resilience, and socioeconomic factors.

Methods: A representative sample of Spanish adults was interviewed before (2019, N = 1880) and during (2020, N = 1103) the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Association of Age With Depression, Anxiety, and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Spain: The Role of Loneliness and Prepandemic Mental Disorder.

Objective: Older adults may be at lower risk of common mental disorders than younger adults during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Previous research has shown shown differences by age in psychosocial well-being during the pandemic and have highlighted the moderating effect of prepandemic mental disorders on that association. In this line, we examined the association of age with self-reported symptoms of loneliness, depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress, as well as potential roles of loneliness symptoms and prepandemic mental disorders on the association between age and mental disorder symptoms.

[Pre-post evaluation of an intergenerational program to improve wellbeing in older adults and age stereotypes in primary and secondary students: CRENCO project].

Objective: The present study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the CRENCO project which was carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic including intergenerational activities shared by students from primary and secondary education and users of two centers for older adults and a day hospital in Catalonia. The effectiveness was assessed in terms of well-being in older adults and on negative stereotypes about the elderly in primary and secondary students.

Methods: Three interventions were carried out in which 32 older persons (9 users of centers for older adults and 23 of a day hospital), 99 primary students and 56 secondary students participated.

The Mental Health of Employees with Job Loss and Income Loss during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Mediating Role of Perceived Financial Stress.

The COVID-19 outbreak, which was followed by home confinement, is expected to have had profound negative impact on the mental health of people. Associated factors, such as losing jobs and income, can be expected to lead to an increased risk of suffering from psychopathological problems. Therefore, this study was aimed at researching the associations of job and income loss with mental health, as well as the possible mediating role of perceived financial stress during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The impact of COVID-related perceived stress and social support on generalized anxiety and major depressive disorders: moderating effects of pre-pandemic mental disorders.

Background: We assessed the moderating effect of pre-pandemic mental disorders on the association of COVID-related perceived stress and social support with mental health.

Methods: A nationally representative sample of 3500 Spanish adults was interviewed in June 2020 (mean age 49.25 years, ± 15.

The effect of loneliness and social support on the course of major depressive disorder among adults aged 50 years and older: A longitudinal study.

Background: Previous research indicates that social support, loneliness, and major depressive disorder (MDD) are interrelated. Little is known about the potential pathways among these factors, in particular in the case of adults aged 50 years and older and suffering from MDD. The objective was to investigate whether loneliness mediates the association between low social support and recurrent episodes of MDD.

The Association Between Substance Use Disorder and Depression During the COVID-19 Lockdown in Spain and the Moderating Role of Social Support: a Cross-Sectional Study.

Substance use disorder is on the rise; it has increased massively during the COVID-19 lockdown and has been found as a risk factor for depressive symptoms and major depressive disorder. Less is known about the hypothetical moderating effect of social support in that association. Three thousand five hundred Spanish adults were interviewed by phone during the COVID-19 lockdown (May-June 2020).

The association of detachment with affective disorder symptoms during the COVID-19 lockdown: The role of living situation and social support.

Introduction: There is growing concern about the effect of lockdown and social distancing on mental health. Subjective feelings related to social relationships such as detachment have shown a strong effect on mental health, whereas objective factors might have a moderating role in that association.

Objective: To investigate whether social support and living situation have a moderating effect on the association between detachment and affective disorder symptoms during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Social network size, loneliness, physical functioning and depressive symptoms among older adults: Examining reciprocal associations in four waves of the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA).

Introduction: Previous research indicates that social isolation, loneliness, physical dysfunction and depressive symptoms are interrelated factors, little is known about the potential pathways among them. The aim of the study is to analyse simultaneously reciprocal relationships that could exist between the four factors to clarify potential mediation effects.

Methods: Within a large representative sample of older people in the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA), participants aged 75 and over were followed up over a period of 11 years (four waves).

Negative old-age life events and well-being in later life: the moderating and mediating role of loneliness.

Objectives: Although older adults often experience negative life events or loss experiences, they rarely experience large decreases in their quality of life or well-being. Emotionally satisfying relationships in older adults may serve as a protective factor that reduces the impact of negative events in decreasing well-being. The availability of these close social contacts is essential, and their potential for alleviating feelings of loneliness after negative events could have an important role in promoting well-being.

Gender-related differences in the relationship between social and activity participation and health and subjective well-being in later life.

A growing body of work suggests that social and activity participation (SAP) may contribute to health and well-being. Studies examining the effects of these activities largely focused on healthy older adults and older adults with more resources, not on frail older adults. On the latter, there is a lack of information about which activities contribute most and whether their effects vary between men and women given the gender-differentiated social roles.

Effects of transient and chronic loneliness on major depression in older adults: A longitudinal study.

Objectives: The number of older adults is rapidly rising globally. Loneliness is a common problem that can deteriorate health. The aims of this work were to identify different types of loneliness (transient and chronic) and to assess their association with depression over time.