Table_1_Mental Health Status of the Elderly Chinese Population During COVID-19: An Online Cross-Sectional Study.docx

Background: COVID-19 not only threatened the public's physical health but also brought unbearable psychological pressure, especially for those vulnerable groups like the elderly. However, studies on the psychological status of older adults during this public health emergency remained scant. This study aims to investigate the mental health status among the elderly Chinese population during COVID-19 pandemic and determine the influencing factors of psychological symptoms.
Methods: From February 19 to March 19, 2020, an online survey was administered to Chinese older adults using a convenience sampling method. Information on demographic data, health status and other epidemic related factors were collected. Specifically, the study defined the psychological status as five primary disorder–depression, neurasthenia, fear, anxiety, and hypochondria–which were assessed by the Psychological Questionnaire for Emergent Event of Public Health (PQEEPH). Standard descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to analyze the data.
Results: Of 1,501 participants recruited from 31 provinces in China, 1,278 were valid for further analysis. Participants' scores on each sub-scale were described in median and interquartile [M(Q)]: depression [0.00 (0.33)], neurasthenia [0.00 (0.40)], fear [1.00 (0.83)], anxiety [0.00 (0.17)], hypochondria [0.00 (0.50)]. Chronic diseases (depression p = 0.001; neurasthenia p < 0.001; fear p = 0.023; anxiety p < 0.001; hypochondria p = 0.001) and the BMI index (depression p = 0.015; neurasthenia p = 0.046; fear p = 0.016; anxiety p = 0.015; hypochondria p = 0.013) had significant impacts on all of the five sub-scales. Specifically, the rural dwellers had a higher level of neurasthenia, fear, and hypochondria. Besides, education level (p = 0.035) and outbreak risk level (p = 0.004) had significant impacts on the depression. Higher household monthly income per capita (p = 0.031), and the community-level entry/exit control (p = 0.011) are factors against anxiety.
Conclusions: Most elderly residents reported mild negative emotions during COVID-19 and more attention should be paid to the recognition and alleviation of fear. Our findings also identified factors associated with the mental health status of the elderly, which is of practical significance in the design and implementation of psychological interventions for this vulnerable population during COVID-19 and future emerging diseases.

背景：新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19）不仅威胁公众身体健康，更给民众带来了难以承受的心理压力，老年群体等脆弱人群受影响尤甚。然而，针对此次突发公共卫生事件期间老年群体心理状态的相关研究仍较为匮乏。本研究旨在调查新冠疫情期间中国老年人群的心理健康状况，并明确其心理症状的影响因素。
方法：本研究于2020年2月19日至3月19日期间，采用方便抽样法对中国老年群体开展线上问卷调查。研究收集了人口统计学资料、健康状况及其他疫情相关因素信息。本研究将心理状态划分为五大核心症状维度——抑郁、神经衰弱、恐惧、焦虑及疑病，并采用《公共卫生突发事件心理问卷（Psychological Questionnaire for Emergent Event of Public Health, PQEEPH）》进行评估。数据分析采用标准描述性统计及多因素逻辑回归分析方法。
结果：本研究从中国31个省份共招募1501名受试者，其中1278份有效问卷可用于后续分析。受试者各维度得分以中位数及四分位数间距[M(Q)]表示：抑郁维度[0.00 (0.33)]、神经衰弱维度[0.00 (0.40)]、恐惧维度[1.00 (0.83)]、焦虑维度[0.00 (0.17)]、疑病维度[0.00 (0.50)]。慢性病（抑郁P=0.001；神经衰弱P<0.001；恐惧P=0.023；焦虑P<0.001；疑病P=0.001）与体质量指数（BMI）（抑郁P=0.015；神经衰弱P=0.046；恐惧P=0.016；焦虑P=0.015；疑病P=0.013）对五个症状维度均存在显著影响。具体而言，农村居民的神经衰弱、恐惧及疑病水平更高。此外，受教育程度（P=0.035）与疫情暴发风险等级（P=0.004）对抑郁维度存在显著影响；较高的家庭人均月收入（P=0.031）及社区出入管控措施（P=0.011）则为焦虑症状的保护因素。
结论：新冠疫情期间，多数老年受访者表现为轻度负性情绪，临床及社会各界需更加重视恐惧情绪的识别与干预。本研究明确了与老年群体心理健康状况相关的影响因素，其结果可为新冠疫情及未来新发传染病期间针对该脆弱人群的心理干预方案设计与实施提供实践依据。