Social frailty and depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic among older adults in Japan: Role of home exercise habits. (January 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hayashi, Takahiro; Noguchi, Taiji; Kubo, Yuta; Tomiyama, Naoki; Ochi, Akira; Hayashi, Hiroyuki
• Is Part Of: Archives of gerontology and geriatrics. Volume 98(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-01
• Subjects: Social frailty -- Japan -- Older adults -- COVID-19 -- Depressive symptoms -- Home exercise; Aging -- Periodicals; Geriatrics -- Periodicals; Gerontology -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 305.26
• DOI: 10.1016/j.archger.2021.104555
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0167-4943

Abstract

Highlights: We investigate the association between social frailty and depressive symptoms in the COVID-19 pandemic. Social frailty is significantly associated with a risk of depressive symptoms during the pandemic. Depressive symptoms in social frailty needs to be addressed, and home exercise habits may alleviate the effects of social frailty on depressive symptoms. Abstract: Objectives: : We examined the association between social frailty and depressive symptoms among community-dwelling older adults during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Additionally, we investigated whether home exercise habits moderated the impact of social frailty on depressive symptoms. Methods: : This cross-sectional study included 1, 103 community-dwelling older adults (54.0% female, mean age [standard deviation] = 81.1 [5.0] years) from a semi-urban area of Japan who completed a mailed questionnaire survey in October 2020. Social frailty status was categorized as non-social frailty, pre-social frailty, and social frailty, which was assessed by financial difficulties, living alone, lack of social activity, and contact with neighbors. Depressive symptoms were defined as a Kessler 6 score ≥5. We performed a multivariable logistic regression analysis to examine the association between social frailty and depressive symptoms, and also conducted stratified analysis of home exercise habits during the pandemic. Results: : A total of 309 (28.0%) participants had depressive symptoms. Compared with non-social frailty, social frailty was associated with depressive symptoms (odds ratio [OR] = 1.80, 95% confidence interval [95%CI] = 1.16–2.79, p = 0.009). A similar relationship was observed in those who did not exercise at home (OR = 2.10, 95%CI = 1.14–3.84, p =0.017). However, no such relationship was observed in those who did exercise at home (OR = 1.50, 95%CI = 0.79–2.85, p =0.213). Conclusions: : Social frailty was associated with a risk of depressive symptoms during the pandemic. In addition, our findings suggested that home exercise may buffer the association between social frailty and depressive symptoms.