Rapid Support for Older Adults during the Initial Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results from a Geriatric Psychiatry Helpline

  1. Anna-Sophia Wahl
  2. Gloria Benson
  3. Lucrezia Hausner
  4. Sandra Schmitt
  5. Annika Knoll
  6. Adriana Ferretti-Bondy
  7. Dimitri Hefter
  8. Lutz Froelich

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Abstract

Background. The COVID-19 pandemic and governmental lockdown measures disproportionally impact older adults. This study presents the results from a psychiatric helpline for older adults in Mannheim, Germany, during the lockdown, set up to provide information and psychosocial support. We aim to elucidate the needs of older adults, their reported changes, and the psychological impact during the initial stages of the health crisis. Methods: A total of 55 older adults called the psychiatric helpline between April and June 2020. Information on demographics, medical and psychiatric history. as well as changes in daily life due to the pandemic was collected anonymously. Mental health status was assessed using the 7-Item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-7) and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A). Results: Most callers were women, older adults (M = 74.69 years), single, and retired. In total, 69% of callers reported new or an increase in psychiatric symptoms, with anxiety and depressive symptoms being the most common ones. Age was significantly negatively correlated to higher levels of anxiety and depression symptoms. Individuals with a previous diagnosis of a psychiatric disease reported significantly higher levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms than those without a diagnosis. Conclusion: In older adults, the perceived psychological impact of the COVID-19 crisis appears to ameliorate with age. Individuals with a history of psychiatric disease are most vulnerable to negative mental health outcomes. Rapid response in the form of a geriatric helpline is a useful initiative to support the psychosocial needs of older adults during a health crisis.

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  1. Version published to 10.3390/geriatrics6010030
  2. ScreenIT

    SciScore for 10.1101/2020.10.29.20218750: (What is this?)

    Please note, not all rigor criteria are appropriate for all manuscripts.

    Table 1: Rigor

    Institutional Review Board StatementConsent: Verbal consent was acquired.
    Randomizationnot detected.
    Blindingnot detected.
    Power Analysisnot detected.
    Sex as a biological variablenot detected.

    Table 2: Resources

    No key resources detected.

    Results from OddPub: We did not detect open data. We also did not detect open code. Researchers are encouraged to share open data when possible (see Nature blog).

    Results from LimitationRecognizer: We detected the following sentences addressing limitations in the study:
    The limitations of this study should be considered when interpreting the findings. First, this data was collected during the initial stages of the pandemic. Concerns, daily experiences and mental health outcome may change and evolve as the outbreak evolves. Second, our sample was limited, as advertised, to cater to older adults over the age of 65, therefore age-related associations and differences must be treated with caution. Finally, our sample may not generalize to other populations as it is entirely subject to individual’s motivation to call the helpline.

    Results from TrialIdentifier: No clinical trial numbers were referenced.

    Results from Barzooka: We did not find any issues relating to the usage of bar graphs.

    Results from JetFighter: We did not find any issues relating to colormaps.

    Results from rtransparent:
    • Thank you for including a conflict of interest statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
    • Thank you for including a funding statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
    • No protocol registration statement was detected.

    About SciScore

    SciScore is an automated tool that is designed to assist expert reviewers by finding and presenting formulaic information scattered throughout a paper in a standard, easy to digest format. SciScore checks for the presence and correctness of RRIDs (research resource identifiers), and for rigor criteria such as sex and investigator blinding. For details on the theoretical underpinning of rigor criteria and the tools shown here, including references cited, please follow this link.

  3. Version published to 10.1101/2020.10.29.20218750 on medRxiv