COVID-19: INVESTIGATING THE MENTAL HEALTH EFFECTS ON OLDER ADULTS

Authors

  • reemal shahbaz mcmaster university

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the mental health effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on older adults aged 60 and above living in East York, Toronto, Canada. The inclusion criteria of this research included: individuals aged 60 and above, living in East York, and speaking the English language. Participants were asked questions about their demographics, ethnic background, COVID-19 diagnosis, personality changes before and after the pandemic, social support, and coping strategies during the lockdown. Interviews were conducted from November 2021 to February 2022 and recorded with the participant's consent. Transcripts were obtained using the Zoom platform and later edited manually to ensure verbatim transcription. Transcripts were sent to the research supervisor to discuss and identify the themes of the study. The findings revealed that factors such as social distancing and modified daily activities due to the pandemic like gym closures and job loss resulted in increased anxiety, stress, and depression levels of older adults. The results also demonstrated that interviewees with lower socioeconomic statues and visible minority backgrounds disproportionately experienced depressive symptoms. This study is critical for implementing prevention and intervention strategies geared towards the older population so that there can be more equity-based health policies in place for future global health crises.

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Published

2023-11-09

How to Cite

shahbaz, reemal. (2023). COVID-19: INVESTIGATING THE MENTAL HEALTH EFFECTS ON OLDER ADULTS. Global Health: Annual Review, 1(8), 33–37. Retrieved from https://journals.mcmaster.ca/ghar/article/view/3432

Issue

Vol. 1 No. 8 (2023): Global Health: Annual Review Issue 8

Section

Research Article

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