Subjective accelerated aging moderates the association between COVID-19 health worries and peritraumatic distress among older adults

Lee Greenblatt-Kimron, Lia Ring, Yaakov Hoffman, Amit Shrira, Ehud Bodner, Yuval Palgi

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Background. The present study examined whether subjective accelerated aging moderated the relationship between COVID-19 health worries and COVID-19 peritraumatic distress among older adults. Method. The sample consisted of 277 older adults (M = 69.58, S.D. = 6.73, range 60–92) who answered an online questionnaire during the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in Israel. Participants completed the measures of background characteristics, exposure to COVID-19, COVID-19 health worries, subjective accelerated aging and COVID-19-based peritraumatic distress. Results. Higher levels of COVID-19 health worries were correlated with higher levels of peritraumatic distress symptoms among older adults. Moreover, those reporting accelerated aging also reported a higher level of peritraumatic distress. Finally, the interaction between COVID-19 health worries and subjective accelerated aging predicted peritraumatic distress, suggesting that COVID-19 worries were associated with peritraumatic distress to a stronger degree among older adults who felt they were aging faster. Conclusions. These findings indicate that negative views of aging may serve as an amplifying factor for traumatic distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although preliminary, the findings provide insight for potential screening and interventions of older adults at risk of developing peritraumatic distress symptoms during the global pandemic.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere16
Pages (from-to)e16
JournalGlobal Mental Health
Volume8
DOIs
StatePublished - 2021

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Cambridge University Press. All rights reserved.

Keywords

  • COVID-19
  • health worries
  • peritraumatic distress
  • subjective accelerated aging

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Psychiatry and Mental health
  • Health Policy

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