Department of Psychology, St. Joseph's University, New York, USA.
ACRIA Center on HIV and Aging at GMHC, New York, NY, USA.
J Psychosom Res. 2023 Mar;166:111145. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2022.111145. Epub 2023 Jan 13.
This study aimed to estimate the occurrence of depressive symptoms in a global population of young, middle-aged and older adults amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Study data also assessed the impact of the social restrictions caused by the pandemic on depressive symptomatology.
A self-administered internet-based survey was completed by 111,225 individuals residing in 176 countries (March-April 2020). We retained: demographic data, depressive symptoms (PHQ8), anxieties specific to the COVID-19, personality traits (Big-Five Personality Questionnaire), comorbidity frequency, health quality, behavioral variables (i,e., staying at home, avoiding social gatherings, social distancing in the past week). Occurrence of depressive symptoms was estimated using standard cut-offs (total PHQ8 score ≥ 10). Hierarchical regression modeling examined correlates of depressive symptoms (PHQ8 score) in three groups stratified by age, i.e., 18-34, 35-54 and 55+ years.
Moderate to severe depressive symptoms were present in 27% of young, 15% middle-aged and 9% older adults. Younger age, female gender, not partnered, higher anxiety, and poorer health were associated with elevated depressive symptoms. Staying at home/not attending social gatherings were minor contributors to depressive symptoms in young and middle-aged adults. These were not significant in older adults. Social distancing was a marginal contributor in middle-aged and near significant in older adults, but not significant in young adults.
The occurrence of depressive symptoms is decreasing with advancing age. Increased risk of depressive symptoms was associated with being a younger adult, females, single/divorced, poorer health and higher anxiety. In all age groups, the presence of depressive symptoms was greater than global estimates preceding the COVID-19 pandemic. Social restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic were marginal risks for depressive symptoms.
本研究旨在估计在 COVID-19 大流行期间，全球年轻、中年和老年人群中抑郁症状的发生情况。研究数据还评估了大流行导致的社会限制对抑郁症状的影响。
2020 年 3 月至 4 月期间，通过互联网对 176 个国家/地区的 111225 名个人进行了自我管理的在线调查。我们保留了以下数据：人口统计学数据、抑郁症状（PHQ8）、针对 COVID-19 的特定焦虑、人格特质（大五人格问卷）、共病频率、健康质量、行为变量（即在家中、避免社交聚会、上周保持社交距离）。使用标准截断值（总 PHQ8 评分≥10）估计抑郁症状的发生情况。分层回归模型检查了按年龄分层的三个年龄组（18-34、35-54 和 55+岁）的抑郁症状（PHQ8 评分）的相关性。
轻度至重度抑郁症状在年轻组、中年组和老年组中分别占 27%、15%和 9%。年龄较小、女性、未婚、焦虑程度较高和健康状况较差与抑郁症状升高相关。在家中逗留/不参加社交聚会是年轻和中年成年人抑郁症状的次要原因。对于老年人，这并不重要。在中年人和接近老年人中，社会隔离是一个边缘贡献因素，但在年轻人中并不显著。
抑郁症状的发生随着年龄的增长而降低。抑郁症状风险增加与年轻、女性、单身/离婚、健康状况较差和焦虑程度较高有关。在所有年龄组中，抑郁症状的发生率均高于 COVID-19 大流行前的全球估计值。COVID-19 大流行期间的社会限制对抑郁症状的风险较低。
