ABSTRACT
Objective: This study examined changes in relationship satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic and the moderating roles of financial strain, perceived threat of COVID-19, and dyadic coping. Background: The systemic-transactional model of dyadic coping posits that relationship satisfaction varies as a function of the stressors partners face and their engagement in dyadic coping. Method: About 188 partnered adults completed questionnaires at three time points during the initial confinement period of the COVID-19 pandemic and at a 20-month follow-up. Results: Relationship satisfaction increased during the first confinement period and returned to its baseline level at the 20-month follow-up. Greater financial strain and perceived threat of COVID-19 were associated with poorer relationship satisfaction over time. Dyadic coping buffered the negative impact of financial strain on relationship satisfaction during the initial confinement period, but not 20 months later. Conclusions: Most individuals were resilient to the effect of pandemic stressors on relationship satisfaction. The buffering effect of dyadic coping was observed during the initial confinement period when access to support resources outside the family unit was curtailed. Implications: Intervention efforts to promote dyadic coping and financial well-being for couples may be especially helpful in the context of strict confinement measures. © 2023 The Authors. Family Relations published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of National Council on Family Relations.
ABSTRACT
Contexte: La comprehension des determinants et barrieres a la vaccination contre la COVID-19 est un enjeu de sante publique. Methodes: Enquete transversale chez les aines au Quebec. Les donnees collectees par le biais d'entretiens telephoniques au printemps 2021 (3e vague) aupres de 476 sujets >= 65 ans vivant a domicile comprenaient : le statut vaccinal COVID-19 (vaccine;non-vaccine), statut de la maladie (a eu/ete hospitalise pour la COVID-19), facteurs cliniques (nombre/type de maladies chroniques, detresse psychologique d'apres l'echelle Kessler-6), craintes et croyances relatives au virus et a la vaccination (selon le << Health Belief Model >>), facteurs socio-demographiques (age, genre, scolarite, retraite, habitat rural/urbain). Des analyses descriptives bivariees ont ete conduites pour analyser les facteurs associes a la vaccination (vaccine versus non-vaccine);des analyses multivariees seront conduites dans un deuxieme temps. Resultats: Parmi les 476 repondants, 83 % rapportaient avoir ete vaccines contre la COVID-19. Les sujets vaccines etaient significativement plus jeunes que les non-vaccines (77,6 versus 81,0 ans;p<0,001). Aucune difference significative n'etait retrouvee pour le genre, la scolarite, l'activite et la zone d'habitation. Les craintes relatives a la vaccination etaient plus elevees chez les non-vaccines comparativement aux vaccines pour les effets secondaires (57,9 versus 40,5 %) et les craintes relatives a la nouveaute du vaccin (50,0 versus 34,0 %). Pres d'un quart des non-vaccines (26,3 %) rapportait ne pas faire confiance a la vaccination en general contre 12,5 % pour les vaccines (p<0,01). Il n'etait pas retrouve de difference pour la perception de la dangerosite du virus pour soi, les maladies chroniques et la detresse psychologique. Discussion/Conclusion: Ces resultats preliminaires soulignent des determinants (age) et craintes importantes chez les non-vaccines contre la COVID-19. L'identification de ces groupes pourrait permettre d'adapter les messages de promotion a la vaccination et d'ameliorer la couverture vaccinale contre la COVID-19 chez les aines en population generale. Declaration de liens d'interets: Les auteurs declarent ne pas avoir de liens d'interets.Copyright © 2022
ABSTRACT
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, governments around the world imposed confinement and physical distancing directives for all citizens. Although essential to reduce the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, these measures may have collateral consequences for older adults, such as increased psychological distress. Research suggests, as a population, older adults have been experiencing less psychological distress than younger adults during COVID-19. However, most of these studies examine mean levels of psychological distress and do not capture the heterogeneity of outcomes, like subgroups who may experience increased psychological distress. The goal of this longitudinal study was to use group-based trajectory modelling (GBTM) to identify meaningful subgroups that follow different trajectories of psychological distress among 645 older adults with a mean age of 78.69 (SD = 5.67). Participants were recruited from two research cohorts and newspaper ads. Telephone-based assessments were conducted across four time periods: T1-Spring 2020-first confinement, T2-Summer 2020-first deconfinement, T3-Fall 2020-second confinement, and T4-Winter/Spring 2021-continued confinement. Participants completed the Kessler 6-item Psychological Distress Scale (K6) to assess psychological distress at each time point and provided information on socioeconomic, medical, and psychosocial factors. Results indicated that the average psychological distress level was stable across the first three time points but slightly increased at the fourth assessment (Fig. 1). Using GBTM, three groups emerged to best characterize the different trajectories of psychological distress: resilient (50.5%), fluctuating (34.9%), and elevated (14.6%) distress groups (Fig. 1). Those in the fluctuating and elevated groups were more likely to have chronic mental health problems, mobility issues, insomnia symptoms, loneliness, COVID-19 related acute stress and general health anxiety than those in the resilient group. Those who lived in poverty, who could not use technology, and who took psychotropic medication had uniquely increased odds of being in the elevated group. These findings identify subgroups of older adults at greater risk of psychological distress with potential intervention targets to alleviate distress during and after the pandemic.