IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i18p9568-d633225.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Age and Emotional Distress during COVID-19: Findings from Two Waves of the Norwegian Citizen Panel

Author

Listed:
  • Line I. Berge

    (Centre for Elderly and Nursing Home Medicine, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bergen, 5009 Bergen, Norway
    Olaviken Gerontopsychiatric Hospital, 5306 Erdal, Norway)

  • Marie H. Gedde

    (Centre for Elderly and Nursing Home Medicine, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bergen, 5009 Bergen, Norway
    Haraldsplass Deaconess Hospital, 5009 Bergen, Norway)

  • Bettina S. Husebo

    (Centre for Elderly and Nursing Home Medicine, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bergen, 5009 Bergen, Norway
    Department of Nursing Home Medicine, Municipality of Bergen, 5020 Bergen, Norway)

  • Ane Erdal

    (Centre for Elderly and Nursing Home Medicine, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bergen, 5009 Bergen, Norway)

  • Camilla Kjellstadli

    (Centre for Elderly and Nursing Home Medicine, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bergen, 5009 Bergen, Norway
    Department of Cancer Treatment and Medical Physics, Haukeland University Hospital, 5021 Bergen, Norway
    Division of Health Registry Research and Development, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, 5808 Bergen, Norway)

  • Ipsit V. Vahia

    (Division of Geriatric Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02478, USA
    Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA)

Abstract

Older adults face the highest risk of COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. We investigated a one-year change in emotions and factors associated with emotional distress immediately after the onset of the pandemic, with emphasis on older age. Methods: The online Norwegian Citizen Panel includes participants drawn randomly from the Norwegian Population Registry. Emotional distress was defined as the sum score of negative (anxious, worried, sad or low, irritated, and lonely) minus positive emotions (engaged, calm and relaxed, happy). Results: Respondents to both surveys ( n = 967) reported a one-year increase in emotional distress, mainly driven by elevated anxiety and worrying, but we found no difference in change by age. Multilevel mixed-effects linear regression comparing older age, economy-, and health-related factors showed that persons in their 60s (ß −1.87 (95%CI: −3.71, −0.04)) and 70s/80s (ß: −2.58 (−5.00, −0–17)) had decreased risk of emotional distress relative to persons under 60 years. Female gender (2.81 (1.34, 4.28)), expecting much lower income (5.09 (2.00, 8.17)), uncertainty whether infected with SARS-Cov2 (2.92 (1.21, 4.63)), and high self-rated risk of infection (1.77 (1.01, 2.53)) were associated with high levels of emotional distress. Conclusions: Knowledge of national determinants of distress is crucial to tailor accurate public health interventions in future outbreaks.

Suggested Citation

  • Line I. Berge & Marie H. Gedde & Bettina S. Husebo & Ane Erdal & Camilla Kjellstadli & Ipsit V. Vahia, 2021. "Age and Emotional Distress during COVID-19: Findings from Two Waves of the Norwegian Citizen Panel," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-14, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:18:p:9568-:d:633225
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/18/9568/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/18/9568/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Netta Achdut & Tehila Refaeli, 2020. "Unemployment and Psychological Distress among Young People during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Psychological Resources and Risk Factors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-21, September.
    2. Yi Ding & Jie Yang & Tingting Ji & Yongyu Guo, 2021. "Women Suffered More Emotional and Life Distress than Men during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Pathogen Disgust Sensitivity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-9, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Muhammad Hizri Hatta & Hatta Sidi & Chong Siew Koon & Nur Aishah Che Roos & Shalisah Sharip & Farah Deena Abdul Samad & Ong Wan Xi & Srijit Das & Suriati Mohamed Saini, 2022. "Virtual Reality (VR) Technology for Treatment of Mental Health Problems during COVID-19: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-14, April.
    2. Gaia Sampogna & Maurizio Pompili & Andrea Fiorillo, 2021. "Mental Health in the Time of COVID-19 Pandemic: A Worldwide Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-5, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Becky Leshem & Gabriela Kashy-Rosenbaum & Miriam Schiff & Rami Benbenishty & Ruth Pat-Horenczyk, 2023. "Continuous Exposure to Terrorism during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Moderated Mediation Model in the Israeli Context," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-13, February.
    2. Rio Sasaki & Atsuhiko Ota & Hiroshi Yatsuya & Takahiro Tabuchi, 2022. "Gender Difference in Fear and Anxiety about and Perceived Susceptibility to COVID-19 in the Third Wave of Pandemic among the Japanese General Population: A Nationwide Web-Based Cross-Sectional Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-13, December.
    3. Yi Ding & Tingting Ji & Yongyu Guo, 2021. "Helping While Social Distancing: Pathogen Avoidance Motives Influence People’s Helping Intentions during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-10, November.
    4. Katherine-Ka-Wai Lam & Ka-Yan Ho & Cynthia-Sau-Ting Wu & Man-Nok Tong & Lai-Ngo Tang & Yim-Wah Mak, 2022. "Exploring Factors Contributing to the Smoking Behaviour among Hong Kong Chinese Young Smokers during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-14, March.
    5. Cathaysa Martín-Blanco & Montserrat Zamorano & Carmen Lizárraga & Valentin Molina-Moreno, 2022. "The Impact of COVID-19 on the Sustainable Development Goals: Achievements and Expectations," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-25, December.
    6. Palmer, Ashley N. & Patel, Mansi & Sledge, Shellye L. & Kitchens, Katherine & Cassano, Kaiden, 2023. "COVID-19 impacts on youth and young adult workforce development programs: A local perspective," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    7. Catherine Vacher & Nicholas Ho & Adam Skinner & Jo Robinson & Louise Freebairn & Grace Yeeun Lee & Frank Iorfino & Ante Prodan & Yun Ju C. Song & Jo-An Occhipinti & Ian B. Hickie, 2022. "Optimizing Strategies for Improving Mental Health in Victoria, Australia during the COVID-19 Era: A System Dynamics Modelling Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(11), pages 1-14, May.
    8. Llinos Haf Spencer & Mary Lynch & Gwenlli Mair Thomas & Rhiannon Tudor Edwards, 2023. "Intergenerational Deliberations for Long Term Sustainability," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-16, February.
    9. Roberto Carlos Dávila Morán & Juan Manuel Sánchez Soto & Henri Emmanuel López Gómez & Flor Carolina Espinoza Camus & Justiniano Felix Palomino Quispe & Lindomira Castro Llaja & Zoila Rosa Díaz Tavera , 2023. "Work Stress as a Consequence of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-22, March.
    10. Udomsak Narkkul & Jun Jiet Ng & Apisith Saraluck, 2022. "Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Female Sexual Function Index and Female Behavioral Changes: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study in Thailand," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-13, November.
    11. Lina El‐Jahel & Robert Macculloch & Hamed Shafiee, 2023. "How Does Monetary Policy Affect Welfare? Some New Estimates Using Data on Life Evaluation and Emotional Well‐Being," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 55(8), pages 2001-2025, December.
    12. Giuseppe Alessio Platania & Simone Varrasi & Claudia Savia Guerrera & Francesco Maria Boccaccio & Vittoria Torre & Venera Francesca Vezzosi & Concetta Pirrone & Sabrina Castellano, 2024. "Impact of Stress during COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy: A Study on Dispositional and Behavioral Dimensions for Supporting Evidence-Based Targeted Strategies," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(3), pages 1-15, March.
    13. Yolanda Marcén-Román & Angel Gasch-Gallen & Irene Isabel Vela Martín de la Mota & Estela Calatayud & Isabel Gómez-Soria & Beatriz Rodríguez-Roca, 2021. "Stress Perceived by University Health Sciences Students, 1 Year after COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(10), pages 1-10, May.
    14. Lewańczyk, Agata Marta & Langham-Walsh, Eleanor & Edwards, Lisa & Branney, Peter & Walters, Elizabeth R. & Mitchell, Paul & Vaportzis, Eleftheria, 2023. "Back Onside protocol: A physical activity intervention to improve health outcomes in people who are unemployed or at risk of unemployment," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    15. Manon Duay & Margot Morgiève & Hélène Niculita-Hirzel, 2021. "Sudden Changes and Their Associations with Quality of Life during COVID-19 Lockdown: A Cross-Sectional Study in the French-Speaking Part of Switzerland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-17, May.
    16. Anna Barbuscia & Ariane Pailhé & Anne Solaz, 2023. "Do Income and Employment Uncertainty Affect Couple Stability? Evidence for France During the COVID-19 Pandemic," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 39(1), pages 1-35, December.
    17. Rachel Dale & Teresa O’Rourke & Elke Humer & Andrea Jesser & Paul L. Plener & Christoph Pieh, 2021. "Mental Health of Apprentices during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Austria and the Effect of Gender, Migration Background, and Work Situation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-11, August.
    18. Canan Oyku Donmez Kara & Ilknur Karaaslan, 2022. "Covid-19 Pandemisinin Universite Ogrencilerinin Issizlik Kaygisi Uzerine Etkileri," Journal of Social Policy Conferences, Istanbul University, Faculty of Economics, vol. 0(82), pages 155-194, June.
    19. Seulkee Heo & Miraj U. Desai & Sarah R. Lowe & Michelle L. Bell, 2021. "Impact of Changed Use of Greenspace during COVID-19 Pandemic on Depression and Anxiety," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-18, May.
    20. Shaher H. Zyoud, 2023. "Analyzing and visualizing global research trends on COVID-19 linked to sustainable development goals," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(6), pages 5459-5493, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:18:p:9568-:d:633225. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.