[en] During the Covid-19 pandemic, older people have been in the spotlight of the public debate. Given their higher risk of severe outcomes of the disease, they have been described as especially vulnerable and as a burden to others and society. We thus wanted to investigate how older people’s perception of their own age, that is their subjective age, as well as their Covid-19 related risks and worries were related during the pandemic and whether these relationships varied according to participants’ subjective health. We used data from the longitudinal CRISIS study which was conducted in the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg in June and October 2020. Participants were aged 60–98 and responded on questionnaires regarding their subjective age, worry of falling ill with Covid-19, perceived risk of contracting the virus, perceived risk of falling seriously ill if they contracted Covid-19, as well as their subjective health and covariates. Three cross-lagged panel models were constructed to explore the longitudinal, bidirectional relationships between the variables. Cross-sectionally, a higher subjective age was related to more perceived risk of a serious course of disease. Longitudinally, subjective age and worry did not show any significant association over time, and neither did subjective age and perceived risk of contracting the virus. However, subjective health significantly moderated the relationship of worry and subjective age, showing different trajectories in the relationship depending on whether subjective health was good or bad. Higher perceived risk of falling seriously ill increased subjective age over time. Again, subjective health moderated this relationship: the perceived risk of falling seriously ill affected subjective age only for those with better subjective health. Our findings show the interactive relationship between subjective age and Covid-19 related cognitions and emotions and provide guidance for identifying older people that are most susceptible for negative age-related communication during the pandemic.
Disciplines :
Social & behavioral sciences, psychology: Multidisciplinary, general & others
Author, co-author :
TINGVOLD, Maiken ; University of Luxembourg > Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences (FHSE) > Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences (DBCS)
ALBERT, Isabelle ; University of Luxembourg > Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences (FHSE) > Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences (DBCS)
Hoffmann, Martine
MURDOCK, Elke ; University of Luxembourg > Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences (FHSE) > Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences (DBCS)
Nell, Josepha
KORNADT, Anna Elena ; University of Luxembourg > Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences (FHSE) > Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences (DBCS)
External co-authors :
no
Language :
English
Title :
Subjective age, worry and risk-related perceptions in older adults in times of a pandemic
Publication date :
2022
Journal title :
PLoS ONE
eISSN :
1932-6203
Publisher :
Public Library of Science, San Franscisco, United States - California
Volume :
17
Issue :
9
Pages :
e0274293
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
FnR Project :
FNR14705672 - Correlates Of Resilience In The Context Of Social Isolation In Seniors, 2020 (01/06/2020-31/12/2020) - Isabelle Astrid Albert
Grasselli G, Zangrillo A, Zanella A, Antonelli M, Cabrini L, Castelli A, et al. Baseline Characteristics and Outcomes of 1591 Patients Infected With SARS-CoV-2 Admitted to ICUs of the Lombardy Region, Italy. JAMA. 2020; 323(16):1574–81. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.5394 PMID: 32250385
Cohn-Schwartz E, Ayalon L. Societal Views of Older Adults as Vulnerable and a Burden to Society During the COVID-19 Outbreak: Results From an Israeli Nationally Representative Sample. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B. 2020.
Ayalon L. There is nothing new under the sun: ageism and intergenerational tension in the age of the COVID-19 outbreak. International Psychogeriatrics. 2020:1–4. https://doi.org/10.1017/ S1041610220000575 PMID: 32284078
Ehni H-J, Wahl H-W. Six Propositions against Ageism in the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of Aging & Social Policy. 2020; 32(4–5):515–25. https://doi.org/10.1080/08959420.2020.1770032 PMID: 32491963
Meisner BA. Are You OK, Boomer? Intensification of Ageism and Intergenerational Tensions on Social Media Amid COVID-19. Leisure Sciences. 2020:1–6.
MacDonald SWS, DeCarlo CA, Dixon RA. Linking Biological and Cognitive Aging: Toward Improving Characterizations of Developmental Time. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B. 2011; 66B(suppl_1): i59–i70. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbr039 PMID: 21743053
Diehl M, Wahl H-W, Brothers A, Miche M. Subjective aging and awareness of aging: Toward a new understanding of the aging self. Annual review of gerontology and geriatrics, Vol 35, 2015: Subjective aging: New developments and future directions. Annual review of gerontology and geriatrics. New York, NY, US: Springer Publishing Co; 2015. p. 1–28.
Kotter-Gruhn D, Kornadt AE, Stephan Y. Looking Beyond Chronological Age: Current Knowledge and Future Directions in the Study of Subjective Age. Gerontology. 2015; 62(1):86–93. https://doi.org/10.1159/000438671 PMID: 26302678
Alonso Debreczeni F, Bailey PE. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Subjective Age and the Association With Cognition, Subjective Well-Being, and Depression. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B. 2020.
Montepare JM. Subjective age: Toward a guiding lifespan framework. International Journal of Behavioral Development. 2009; 33(1):42–6.
Stephan Y, Sutin AR, Terracciano A, Ryff C, Krueger R. Determinants and implications of subjective age across adulthood and old age. The Oxford handbook of integrative health science. 2018; 3:87–96.
Stephan Y, Sutin AR, Terracciano A. How old do you feel? The role of age discrimination and biological aging in subjective age. PLoS One. 2015; 10(3):e0119293. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone. 0119293 PMID: 25738579
Bellingtier JA, Neupert SD, Kotter-Grühn D. The combined effects of daily stressors and major life events on daily subjective ages. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. 2017; 72(4):613–21. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbv101 PMID: 26582213
Blöchl M, Nestler S, Weiss D. A limit of the subjective age bias: Feeling younger to a certain degree, but no more, is beneficial for life satisfaction. Psychology and Aging. 2021; 36(3):360–72. https://doi.org/10.1037/pag0000578 PMID: 33180520
Westerhof GJ, Miche M, Brothers AF, Barrett AE, Diehl M, Montepare JM, et al. The influence of subjective aging on health and longevity: a meta-analysis of longitudinal data. Psychology and Aging. 2014; 29(4):793–802. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0038016 PMID: 25365689
Stephan Y, Chalabaev A, Kotter-Grühn D, Jaconelli A. “Feeling Younger, Being Stronger”: An Experimental Study of Subjective Age and Physical Functioning Among Older Adults. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B. 2013; 68(1):1–7. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbs037 PMID: 22492113
Spuling SM, Miche M, Wurm S, Wahl H-W. Exploring the Causal Interplay of Subjective Age and Health Dimensions in the Second Half of Life. Zeitschrift für Gesundheitspsychologie. 2013; 21(1):5–15.
Avidor S, Abu Hamam A, Lahav Y. The Toll of Feeling Older: Subjective Age Moderates the Associations Between Anxiety Sensitivity and Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression During the COVID-19 Epidemic. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B. 2021; 77(4):e5–e10.
Weiss D, Kornadt AE. Age-Stereotype Internalization and Dissociation: Contradictory Processes or Two Sides of the Same Coin? Current Directions in Psychological Science. 2018; 27(6):477–83.
Wurm S, Diehl M, Kornadt AE, Westerhof GJ, Wahl H-W. How do views on aging affect health outcomes in adulthood and late life? Explanations for an established connection. Developmental Review. 2017; 46:27–43.
Kornadt AE, Hess TM, Voss P, Rothermund K. Subjective Age Across the Life Span: A Differentiated, Longitudinal Approach. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2018; 73(5):767–77. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbw072 PMID: 27334638
Shrira A, Hoffman Y, Bodner E, Palgi Y. COVID-19-Related Loneliness and Psychiatric Symptoms Among Older Adults: The Buffering Role of Subjective Age. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2020; 28 (11):1200–4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jagp.2020.05.018 PMID: 32561276
Wettstein M, Wahl H-W. Contextual determinants of subjective age in midlife and old age: The example of daily variations in COVID-19 infection rates. Psychology and Aging. 2022:No Pagination Specified-No Pagination Specified. https://doi.org/10.1037/pag0000686 PMID: 35357871
Losada-Baltar A, Jiménez-Gonzalo L, Gallego-Alberto L, Pedroso-Chaparro MdS, Fernandes-Pires J, Márquez-González M. “We Are Staying at Home.” Association of Self-perceptions of Aging, Personal and Family Resources, and Loneliness With Psychological Distress During the Lock-Down Period of COVID-19. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B. 2020; 76(2):e10–e6.
Kotter-Grühn D, Neupert SD, Stephan Y. Feeling old today? Daily health, stressors, and affect explain day-to-day variability in subjective age. Psychology & Health. 2015; 30(12):1470–85.
Wettstein M, Wahl H-W, Kornadt AE. Longitudinal associations between perceived stress and views on aging: Evidence for reciprocal relations. Psychology and Aging. 2021; 36(6):752–66. https://doi.org/10.1037/pag0000632 PMID: 34516176
Avidor S, Benyamini Y, Solomon Z. Subjective Age and Health in Later Life: The Role of Posttraumatic Symptoms. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B. 2014; 71(3):415–24. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbu150 PMID: 25324296
Kornadt A, Albert I, Hoffmann M, Murdock E, Nell J. Perceived Ageism During the Covid-19-Crisis Is Longitudinally Related to Subjective Perceptions of Aging. Front Public Health. 2021. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2021.679711 PMID: 34327186
Terracciano A, Stephan Y, Aschwanden D, Lee JH, Sesker AA, Strickhouser JE, et al. Changes in Subjective Age During COVID-19. Gerontologist. 2020.
Caramelo F, Ferreira N, Oliveiros B. Estimation of risk factors for COVID-19 mortality—preliminary results. medRxiv. 2020:2020.02.24.20027268.
Williams AS. Worry, intolerance of uncertainty, and statistics anxiety. Statistics Education Research Journal. 2013; 12(1):48–59.
Kummeneje A-M, Rundmo T. Risk perception, worry, and pedestrian behaviour in the Norwegian population. Accident Analysis & Prevention. 2019; 133:105294.
Maxfield M, Pituch KA. COVID-19 worry, mental health indicators, and preparedness for future care needs across the adult lifespan. Aging & Mental Health. 2020:1–8.
Inbar L, Shinan-Altman S. Emotional reactions and subjective health status during the COVID-19 pandemic in Israel: the mediating role of perceived susceptibility. Psychology, Health & Medicine. 2021; 26 (1):75–84. https://doi.org/10.1080/13548506.2020.1858490 PMID: 33315513
Greenblatt-Kimron L, Ring L, Hoffman Y, Shrira A, Bodner E, Palgi Y. Subjective accelerated aging moderates the association between COVID-19 health worries and peritraumatic distress among older adults. Global Mental Health. 2021; 8:e16. https://doi.org/10.1017/gmh.2021.13 PMID: 34192002
Ayalon L, Cohn-Schwartz E. Measures of self- and other-directed ageism and worries concerning COVID-19 health consequences: Results from a nationally representative sample of Israelis over the age of 50. PLOS ONE. 2021; 16(5):e0251577. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0251577 PMID: 34010355
Lanciano T, Graziano G, Curci A, Costadura S, Monaco A. Risk Perceptions and Psychological Effects During the Italian COVID-19 Emergency. Frontiers in Psychology. 2020; 11(2434). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.580053 PMID: 33071920
Dryhurst S, Schneider CR, Kerr J, Freeman ALJ, Recchia G, van der Bles AM, et al. Risk perceptions of COVID-19 around the world. Journal of Risk Research. 2020; 23(7–8):994–1006.
Niepel C, Kranz D, Borgonovi F, Emslander V, Greiff S. The coronavirus (COVID-19) fatality risk perception of US adult residents in March and April 2020. Br J Health Psychol. 2020; 25(4):883–8. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12438 PMID: 32519364
Bruine de Bruin W. Age Differences in COVID-19 Risk Perceptions and Mental Health: Evidence From a National U.S. Survey Conducted in March 2020. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B. 2020; 76(2): e24–e9.
Rippon I, Steptoe A. Is the relationship between subjective age, depressive symptoms and activities of daily living bidirectional? Social Science & Medicine. 2018; 214:41–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.08.013 PMID: 30145439
Zhang J-j, Dong X, Cao Y-y, Yuan Y-d, Yang Y-b, Yan Y-q, et al. Clinical characteristics of 140 patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 in Wuhan, China. Allergy. 2020; 75(7):1730–41. https://doi.org/10.1111/all. 14238 PMID: 32077115
Albitar O, Ballouze R, Ooi JP, Sheikh Ghadzi SM. Risk factors for mortality among COVID-19 patients. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice. 2020; 166:108293. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diabres.2020. 108293 PMID: 32623035
Shahid Z, Kalayanamitra R, McClafferty B, Kepko D, Ramgobin D, Patel R, et al. COVID-19 and Older Adults: What We Know. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2020; 68(5):926–9. https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.16472 PMID: 32255507
Idler EL, Benyamini Y. Self-Rated Health and Mortality: A Review of Twenty-Seven Community Studies. Journal of Health and Social Behavior. 1997; 38(1):21–37. PMID: 9097506
Benyamini Y, Burns E. Views on aging: older adults’ self-perceptions of age and of health. European Journal of Ageing. 2020; 17(4):477–87. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-019-00528-8 PMID: 33381001
Muthén LKM B. O. Mplus User’s Guide. eight edition ed. Los Angeles CA.: Muthén & Muthén; 1998–2017.
Sesker AA, Lee JH, Luchetti M, Aschwanden D, Stephan Y, Terracciano A, et al. Personality and change in perceived control during the acute stage of the coronavirus pandemic. Personality and Individual Differences. 2022; 192:111607. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2022.111607 PMID: 35308090
Bellingtier JA, Neupert SD. Feeling Young and in Control: Daily Control Beliefs Are Associated With Younger Subjective Ages. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B. 2019; 75(5):e13–e7.
Carstensen LL, Shavit YZ, Barnes JT. Age Advantages in Emotional Experience Persist Even Under Threat From the COVID-19 Pandemic. Psychological Science. 2020; 31(11):1374–85. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797620967261 PMID: 33104409
Li Y, Luan S, Li Y, Wu J, Li W, Hertwig R. Does risk perception motivate preventive behavior during a pandemic? A longitudinal study in the United States and China. American Psychologist. 2021:No Pagination Specified-No Pagination Specified. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000885 PMID: 34941313
Benyamini Y, Burns E. Views on aging: older adults’ self-perceptions of age and of health. European Journal of Ageing. 2019. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-019-00528-8 PMID: 33381001
Westerhof GJ, Miche M, Brothers AF, Barrett AE, Diehl M, Montepare JM, et al. The influence of subjective aging on health and longevity: a meta-analysis of longitudinal data. Psychol Aging. 2014; 29 (4):793–802. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0038016 PMID: 25365689
