Latest news with #AgingandMentalHealth
Hans India
22-04-2025
- Health
- Hans India
Middle-aged Americans more lonely than older generations: Study
New York: Middle-aged Americans demonstrated some of the highest levels of loneliness in a new study released on Tuesday, which assessed tens of thousands of 50 to 90-year-olds across 29 countries. The peer-reviewed research, published in Aging and Mental Health, shows loneliness generally increases with age -- with only the US and the Netherlands representing places where middle-aged people feel more lonely than older generations. 'There is a general perception that people get lonelier as they age, but the opposite is actually true in the US where middle-aged people are lonelier than older generations,' said lead author Robin Richardson, a social and psychiatric epidemiologist and assistant professor at Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health. Advocacy and interventions to address the loneliness epidemic have historically focused on older adults and adolescents. Middle-aged adults represent a critical population that is being overlooked, he mentioned. Loneliness is a significant public health concern, responsible for a wide range of physiological, cognitive, mental and behavioural health outcomes that decrease quality of life and increase the risk of disease. Using data from 64,324 older adults in countries across Europe, North America, and the Middle East, Richardson collaborated with experts from Columbia University; McGill University in Canada; and Universidad Mayor in Santiago, Chile. The team found that while loneliness generally increased with age, the size of the increase was greater in some countries than others. Adults in Bulgaria and Latvia reported the most substantial increase in loneliness as people age. They found that adults in Cyprus and Greece had the highest prevalence of loneliness among adults aged 50–90 years. The US had a substantially higher prevalence of loneliness among middle-aged adults, a pattern shared with only one other country, the Netherlands. Being unmarried, not working, depression and poor health were major reasons why loneliness varied with age, but the importance of these contributors and the combination of factors were different in each country. For example, in the US, not working was the top reason for a higher amount of loneliness among middle-aged adults, while in other countries it resulted in more loneliness among older adults. The authors suggest this could be due to the unique social circumstances middle-aged adults face, such as highly constrained leisure time to socialise due to competing work, childcare, and aging parents' caregiving demands. Given that loneliness varies across location and life circumstances, health policies and social programs to reduce loneliness should first confirm which age groups are at highest risk of loneliness in a particular setting, the authors noted.
Sky News
12-02-2025
- Health
- Sky News
Older people in England happier and more satisfied now than before COVID, researchers say
Older people are "happier, more satisfied, and have a greater sense of purpose" than before the COVID-19 pandemic, a study has found. Experts analysed data from a long-term study, the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, tracking the wellbeing of 3,999 people aged 50 in England over time. The researchers found that those surveyed reported that their happiness, eudaemonic wellbeing - which measures whether life feels worthwhile - and life satisfaction all plummeted during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Paola Zaninotto, professor of medical and social statistics at UCL's Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, said "remarkably" people reported higher happiness, wellbeing and satisfaction since then. "As many would expect, we found that wellbeing declined during the pandemic, and instances of depression rose," she said. "While depression is still slightly more prevalent than before 2020, remarkably, overall older people are now happier, more satisfied and have a greater sense of purpose than before the pandemic." The study did find levels of depression among the 50-year-olds surveyed have not returned to pre-pandemic levels. Around 11.4% reported depressive symptoms before COVID-19, which rose to 27.2% in late 2020. Post-pandemic, the study found levels of depression had fallen to 14.9% - still above pre-COVID figures. Ms Zaninotto added that "the pandemic had a profound effect on the wellbeing of older people in England," but added "we can only speculate on the reasons" why those surveyed reported feeling better after COVID-19. "It perhaps could reflect a renewed appreciation for social connections and meaningful activities, as well as increased psychological resilience after a period of adversity," she said. "Improved health security following widespread vaccinations could also have contributed to this positive shift. "We saw marked differences by age and affluence, underscoring the importance of tailored support policies for the immediate and lingering effects of pandemics on the well-being of our older population." The study was published in the journal Aging and Mental Health.
The Independent
12-02-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Older generations happier now than pre-Covid, study finds
Older adults in England have reported elevated levels of happiness, life satisfaction, and purpose compared to pre-pandemic times, according to new research. Experts suggest that navigating the Covid-19 crisis may have fostered a renewed appreciation for social connections and meaningful activities for the older generation. The findings come from an analysis of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, which tracks the wellbeing of individuals aged 50 and over. While the study reveals a positive shift in overall wellbeing, researchers also noted that depression rates remain slightly higher than pre-2020 levels. This suggests a complex picture of post-pandemic mental health among older adults, with increased happiness and purpose coexisting alongside lingering mental health challenges. Figures from 3,999 people show that self reported ratings for happiness; eudaemonic wellbeing – which measures whether a life feels worthwhile; and life satisfaction all plummeted during the pandemic. But they found that all aspects of positive wellbeing improved in a statistically significant way post-pandemic. And measures tracking eudaemonic wellbeing and life satisfaction were significantly higher than before the pandemic. By contrast, levels of depression among the group have not returned to pre-pandemic levels. Some 11.4 per cent reported depressive symptoms before Covid-19 and during the pandemic this short up to 27.2 per cent in late 2020. But the latest measures show that post-pandemic levels of depression fell to 14.9 per cent among the group studied, according to the study which has been published in the journal Aging and Mental Health. 'Our research showed that the pandemic had a profound effect on the well-being of older people in England,' said study lead author Paola Zaninotto, professor of medical and social statistics at UCL's Department of Epidemiology and Public Health. 'As many would expect, we found that well-being declined during the pandemic, and instances of depression rose. 'While depression is still slightly more prevalent than before 2020, remarkably, overall older people are now happier, more satisfied and have a greater sense of purpose than before the pandemic. 'We can only speculate on the reasons for this. It perhaps could reflect a renewed appreciation for social connections and meaningful activities, as well as increased psychological resilience after a period of adversity. 'Improved health security following widespread vaccinations could also have contributed to this positive shift. 'We saw marked differences by age and affluence, underscoring the importance of tailored support policies for the immediate and lingering effects of pandemics on the well-being of our older population.' Figures from the Office for National Statistics' National Wellbeing Dashboard show that between July and September 2024, around one in 20 (4.7 per cent) of UK adults report they have low levels of satisfaction with their lives. A smaller proportion (3.6 per cent) gave a rating of 'low' when asked how worthwhile they feel the things they do in life are. Meanwhile, 7.7 per cent rated their happiness the previous day as 'low'. More adults in the UK reported feeling 'high anxiety yesterday' in July to September 2024 (22.5 per cent) compared to July to September 2019 (20.4 per cent). And the proportion of adults in the UK reporting some evidence of depression or anxiety has increased in the long term, according to the ONS. Some 22.6 per cent reported some evidence of depression or anxiety in 2022 to 2023, compared to 19.7 per cent in 2017 to 2018.
