TY - JOUR
T1 - Evaluating changes in the well-being of older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic
T2 - a longitudinal cohort study
AU - Besselink, Djoeke
AU - Herber, Gerrie Cor M.
AU - van der Lucht, Fons
AU - Sealy, Martine J.
AU - Krijnen, Wim P.
AU - Jager-Wittenaar, Harriet
AU - Finnema, Evelyn J.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2024.
PY - 2024/10
Y1 - 2024/10
N2 - The COVID-19 pandemic affected the lives of older adults. Yet, little is known about changes in well-being among older adults during the pandemic, especially when COVID-19 measures were relaxed. Therefore, we aimed to assess changes in the well-being of older adults during multiple turning points of the pandemic. This longitudinal study included data from Dutch older adults (≥65 years old) participating in the Lifelines COVID-19 cohort. Data consisted of seven questionnaires, administered every 2–4 months between May 2020 and October 2021. The outcomes were quality of life (n ¼ 14 682), physical fitness (n ¼ 14 761), and feelings of isolation (n ¼ 14 611), all graded on a scale from 0 to 10. Changes in well-being were analysed by multivariable linear mixed-effects models. The context of measures was described using the Government Stringency Index. Quality of life and feelings of isolation decreased when measures were tightened and increased when measures were relaxed. For example, when measures relaxed after the first lockdown in May 2020, quality of life increased by 0.23 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.16–0.29] towards July 2020. Physical fitness decreased by 0.26 [95% CI: 0.15–0.37] during the study period. Differences between subsamples were not found, except for sex in feelings of isolation, which differences diminished after a period of relaxed measures. Changes in quality of life and feelings of isolation improved after periods of stringent COVID-19 measures. Physical fitness did not improve after measures were relaxed, suggesting a possible negative effect of the pandemic on the physical fitness of older adults.
AB - The COVID-19 pandemic affected the lives of older adults. Yet, little is known about changes in well-being among older adults during the pandemic, especially when COVID-19 measures were relaxed. Therefore, we aimed to assess changes in the well-being of older adults during multiple turning points of the pandemic. This longitudinal study included data from Dutch older adults (≥65 years old) participating in the Lifelines COVID-19 cohort. Data consisted of seven questionnaires, administered every 2–4 months between May 2020 and October 2021. The outcomes were quality of life (n ¼ 14 682), physical fitness (n ¼ 14 761), and feelings of isolation (n ¼ 14 611), all graded on a scale from 0 to 10. Changes in well-being were analysed by multivariable linear mixed-effects models. The context of measures was described using the Government Stringency Index. Quality of life and feelings of isolation decreased when measures were tightened and increased when measures were relaxed. For example, when measures relaxed after the first lockdown in May 2020, quality of life increased by 0.23 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.16–0.29] towards July 2020. Physical fitness decreased by 0.26 [95% CI: 0.15–0.37] during the study period. Differences between subsamples were not found, except for sex in feelings of isolation, which differences diminished after a period of relaxed measures. Changes in quality of life and feelings of isolation improved after periods of stringent COVID-19 measures. Physical fitness did not improve after measures were relaxed, suggesting a possible negative effect of the pandemic on the physical fitness of older adults.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85205275685&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/eurpub/ckae130
DO - 10.1093/eurpub/ckae130
M3 - Article
C2 - 39190888
AN - SCOPUS:85205275685
SN - 1101-1262
VL - 34
SP - 914
EP - 920
JO - European Journal of Public Health
JF - European Journal of Public Health
IS - 5
ER -