Anxiety, Depression and Influencing Factors of the Elderly Disabled Under the Influence of COVID-19 Outbreak: Evidence from China.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The elderly disabled have experienced serious negative emotions during the COVID-19 outbreak. However, the causes of anxiety and depression are not clear. This study aims to explore changes in mental states and influencing factors of the elderly disabled under the influence of the COVID-19 outbreak. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 253 cases of elderly disabled in Wuhan, China were selected as the research group and observed from April to June 2020. Another 181 cases of elderly disabled in Yichang, China were observed from April to June 2020 and denoted Group A, while 100 cases of elderly disabled in Wuhan were investigated from August to November 2020 and denoted Group B. Another 100 cases of the elderly without disability were chosen as the control group. The Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA) and Hamilton depression scale (HAMD) were used. RESULTS: HAMA and HAMD scores of the research group are higher than those of Groups A and B and the control group. HAMA and HAMD scores of Groups A and B are higher than those of the control group (p<0.05). Solitude; pre-existing diseases; no stable and fixed friends; disability level-3 or -4; unmarried, divorced, or widowed; living in Wuhan; COVID-19 are risk factors for developing anxiety and depression in the elderly disabled after multivariate logistics regression (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence rate of anxiety and depression is very high in the elderly disabled under the influence of the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, China.