Malek Rivan Nurul Fatin, Shahar Suzana, Singh Devinder Kaur Ajit, Ibrahim Norhayati, Mat Ludin Arimi Fitri, Yahya Hanis Mastura, Mohamed Sakian Noor Ibrahim, Mahadzir Hazlina, Subramaniam Ponnusamy, Kamaruddin Mohd Zul Amin
Nutritional Sciences Programme and Centre for Healthy Ageing and Wellness (H-CARE), Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Dietetics Programme and Centre for Healthy Ageing and Wellness (H-CARE), Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Aging Ment Health. 2022 Oct;26(10):2039-2047. doi: 10.1080/13607863.2021.1972281. Epub 2021 Sep 6.
In this study, we aim to assess general psychological health, associated factors, and the potential of coping strategies as a mediator for middle-aged and older Malaysian adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A total of 535 individuals aged 52 years and above from the previous cohort and interventional studies in Peninsular Malaysia were contacted during the Movement Control Order (MCO) issued during the COVID-19 pandemic. Telephonic interviews were conducted to obtain participant information concerning socio-demography, physical activity, subjective well-being (SWB) as assessed using flourishing scale, coping strategies, and general psychological health (GHQ-12). Simple linear regression (SLR) and multiple linear regression (MLR) analyses were performed to identify the factors associated with GHQ-12. The associated factors were further analysed using mediation analysis to determine the potential of coping strategies as a mediator.
It was observed that participants had a low mean GHQ-12 score ( = 0.80, SD = 2.19), indicating good psychological health. Living arrangement, physical activity, and flourishing scale were associated with psychological health (R = 0.412, < 0.05) in MLR. Positive reinterpretation, emotional support, instrumental support, humour, denial, and self-blame appear to partially mediate the relationship between socio-demography, physical activity, flourishing scale and GHQ-12, with lower coefficient values.
Middle-aged and older adults in Malaysia had good psychological health during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially when living with family, physically active, and having good subjective well-being. These findings provide the initial evidence to help promote the ageing population's general well-being and mental health and enable them to cope with change during the COVID-19 pandemic.
在本研究中，我们旨在评估马来西亚中老年人在新冠疫情期间的总体心理健康状况、相关因素以及应对策略作为中介因素的潜力。
在新冠疫情期间马来西亚半岛实施行动管制令（MCO）期间，联系了来自之前队列研究和干预性研究的535名年龄在52岁及以上的个体。通过电话访谈获取参与者有关社会人口统计学、身体活动、使用蓬勃发展量表评估的主观幸福感（SWB）、应对策略和总体心理健康（GHQ-12）的信息。进行简单线性回归（SLR）和多元线性回归（MLR）分析以确定与GHQ-12相关的因素。使用中介分析进一步分析相关因素，以确定应对策略作为中介因素的潜力。
观察到参与者的GHQ-12平均得分较低（=0.80，标准差=2.19），表明心理健康状况良好。在多元线性回归中，生活安排、身体活动和蓬勃发展量表与心理健康相关（R=0.412, <0.05）。积极重新诠释、情感支持、工具性支持、幽默、否认和自责似乎部分介导了社会人口统计学、身体活动、蓬勃发展量表与GHQ-12之间的关系，系数值较低。
马来西亚的中老年人在新冠疫情期间心理健康状况良好，尤其是在与家人同住、积极进行体育活动且主观幸福感良好的情况下。这些发现提供了初步证据，有助于促进老年人群的总体幸福感和心理健康，并使他们能够应对新冠疫情期间的变化。
