Dr. Adi Vitman- Schorr, Shamir Research Institute, Kazrin 1290000, Israel, Haifa University, Tel: +972-50-6301998, e-mail:
J Nutr Health Aging. 2021;25(3):311-317. doi: 10.1007/s12603-020-1540-z.
Depression in older adults may result from a variety of reasons such as loneliness feelings and malnutrition.
To examine the direct and indirect effect of loneliness feelings on depressive symptoms, mediated by malnutrition, among older adults from different cultures during the Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic quarantine.
A convenience sample of 101 Arabs and 100 Jewish older adults aged 65 and over was interviewed. Using bootstrapping, we tested the strength and significance of the conditional indirect effect of malnutrition (mediator) on the relationship between loneliness feelings and depressive symptoms.
The relationship between loneliness feelings and depressive symptoms was mediated by malnutrition and Arab older adults reported a higher level than Jewish older adults of loneliness, depression, and malnutrition during the Covid-19 pandemic quarantine.
To reduce loneliness feelings, depressive symptoms, and malnutrition in times of crisis like the Covid-19 pandemic, it is essential to develop new communication methods for and with older adults in general, with particular attention paid to ethnic differences, that will be effective in reducing loneliness and in promoting nutrition intervention. Possible solutions include new social network technologies for reducing loneliness, with continued reliance on phone communication for combined intervention that includes psychological support accompanied by instructions for a healthy lifestyle and malnutrition prevention.
老年人的抑郁可能由多种原因引起，如孤独感和营养不良。
在 2019 年冠状病毒病（COVID-19）大流行隔离期间，检查不同文化背景的老年人中孤独感对抑郁症状的直接和间接影响，其中介变量为营养不良。
对 101 名阿拉伯人和 100 名犹太老年人进行了便利抽样调查，年龄均在 65 岁及以上。采用自举法，我们测试了营养不良（中介变量）对孤独感与抑郁症状之间关系的间接影响的强度和显著性。
孤独感与抑郁症状之间的关系受营养不良的中介作用影响，阿拉伯老年人在 COVID-19 大流行隔离期间比犹太老年人报告了更高水平的孤独感、抑郁和营养不良。
为了减少孤独感、抑郁症状和营养不良，在 COVID-19 等危机时期，必须为老年人开发新的沟通方式，特别是要关注民族差异，这将有效减少孤独感，并促进营养干预。可能的解决方案包括减少孤独感的新社交网络技术，继续依赖电话沟通进行综合干预，包括心理支持以及健康生活方式和预防营养不良的指导。
