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. 2021 Jul 1;18(13):7067.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph18137067.

Changes in Health Behaviors, Mental and Physical Health among Older Adults under Severe Lockdown Restrictions during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Spain

Esther García-Esquinas  1   2   3 , Rosario Ortolá  1   2   3 , Iago Gine-Vázquez  4   5 , José A Carnicero  6   7 , Asier Mañas  7   8 , Elvira Lara  5   9   10 , Alejandro Alvarez-Bustos  6   7 , German Vicente-Rodriguez  11   12   13   14 , Mercedes Sotos-Prieto  1   2   3   15   16 , Beatriz Olaya  4   5 , Francisco José Garcia-Garcia  7   17 , Narcis Gusi  7   18 , Jose R Banegas  1   2   3 , Irene Rodríguez-Gómez  7   8 , Ellen A Struijk  1   2   3 , David Martínez-Gómez  1   2   3 , Alberto Lana  19 , Josep María Haro  4   5 , José Luis Ayuso-Mateos  5   9   10 , Leocadio Rodríguez-Mañas  6   7 , Ignacio Ara  7   8 , Marta Miret  5   9   10 , Fernando Rodríguez-Artalejo  1   2   3   16
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Changes in Health Behaviors, Mental and Physical Health among Older Adults under Severe Lockdown Restrictions during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Spain

Esther García-Esquinas et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

We used data from 3041 participants in four cohorts of community-dwelling individuals aged ≥65 years in Spain collected through a pre-pandemic face-to-face interview and a telephone interview conducted between weeks 7 to 15 after the beginning of the COVID-19 lockdown. On average, the confinement was not associated with a deterioration in lifestyle risk factors (smoking, alcohol intake, diet, or weight), except for a decreased physical activity and increased sedentary time, which reversed with the end of confinement. However, chronic pain worsened, and moderate declines in mental health, that did not seem to reverse after restrictions were lifted, were observed. Males, older adults with greater social isolation or greater feelings of loneliness, those with poorer housing conditions, as well as those with a higher prevalence of chronic morbidities were at increased risk of developing unhealthier lifestyles or mental health declines with confinement. On the other hand, previously having a greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet and doing more physical activity protected older adults from developing unhealthier lifestyles with confinement. If another lockdown were imposed during this or future pandemics, public health programs should specially address the needs of older individuals with male sex, greater social isolation, sub-optimal housing conditions, and chronic morbidities because of their greater vulnerability to the enacted movement restrictions.

Keywords: COVID-19; chronic pain; confinement; elderly; lifestyle behaviors; lockdown; mental health.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Baseline information collected in the study cohorts.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Prospective association between baseline participant characteristics and changes in alcohol consumption or in adherence to the Mediterranean diet adherence screener (MEDAS) score during confinement.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Prospective association between baseline participant characteristics and changes in physical activity and sedentary time during confinement.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Prospective association between baseline participant characteristics and changes in poor sleep quality score during confinement.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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