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Table 1 Pre-lockdown characteristics and association with emotional distress during the COVID-19 lockdown

From: Correlates to psychological distress in frail older community-dwellers undergoing lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic

Baseline characteristics (pre-lockdown)

Included N = 94

Mild emotional distress during lockdown, n = 41a

Moderate-to-severe emotional distress during lockdown, n = 53a

p-value

Age, mean (SD)

82,4 (6,1)

83,2 (5,9)

81,7 (6,3)

0,233

Women, % (n)

68,1 (64)

56,1 (23)

77,4 (41)

0,028

Living alone, % (n)

55,3 (52)

61,0 (25)

50,9 (27)

0,332

Education, % (n)

 Illiterate

8,6 (8)

12,2 (5)

5,8 (3)

0,357

 Primary school

37,6 (35)

43,9 (18)

32,7 (17)

 Secondary school

39,8 (37)

31,7 (13)

46,2 (24)

 University degree

14,0 (13)

12,2 (5)

15,4 (8)

Charlson Comorbidity Index, median (IQR)

2 (1–3)

1 (1–3)

2 (1–3)

0,433

Barthel indexb, median (IQR)

95 (90 – 100)

95 (90 – 100)

95 (90 – 95)

0,185

Lawton indexc, median (IQR)

5,5 (3–8)

5 (3–8)

6 (3–8)

0,576

Previous diagnosis/positive screening of cognitive impairmentd, % (n)

33,3 (31)

42,5 (17)

26,4 (14)

0,103

 Depressive symptoms (Yesavage GDS-15)e, % (n)

21,3 (20)

4,9 (2)

34,0 (18)

0,001

Vulnerable and/or any frailty degree (CFS)f, % (n)

62,8 (59)

65,9 (27)

60,4 (32)

0,586

 Sufficient physical activityg, % (n)

60,9 (56)

53,7 (22)

66,7 (34)

0,204

 SPPB, mean (SD)

8,5 (2,9)

8,7 (3,1)

8,4 (2,8)

0,662

 Gait speed, mean (SD)

0,77 (0,21)

0,79 (0.20)

0,73 (0,22)

0,244

 ESTE II total, mean (SD)h

12,5 (9–15)

12,1 (4.6)

12,9 (94,8)

0,448

 ESTE II–Social support, mean (SD)

3,5 (3,0)

3,1 (2,7)

3,9 (3,1)

0,185

 ESTE II–Use of new technologies, mean (SD)

4,1 (1,6)

4,0 (1,5)

4,2 (1,6)

0,437

 ESTE II–Self-report social participation, mean (SD)

4,9 (2,4)

5,1 (2,5)

4,7 (2,4)

0,464

Self-reported health status, % (n)

 Low

14,9 (14)

12,2 (5)

17,0 (9)

0,808

 Normal or regular

25,5 (24)

26,8 (11)

24,5 (13)

 Good or Excellent

59,6 (56)

61,0 (25)

58,5 (31)

 Self-reported sleep quality, good–excellent, % (n)

48,9 (46)

56,1 (23)

43,4 (23)

0,222

  1. IQR Interquartile range, SD Standard deviation
  2. Student’s t-test or the Mann–Whitney U-test were used for continuous variables as appropriate and Chi-square test for categorical
  3. aDetection of Emotional Distress Scale (DME scale): scoring range from 0–20 (≥ 9 moderate-to-severe emotional distress)
  4. bIndependence for activities of daily living, Barthel index: scoring range from 0–100
  5. cIndependence for instrumental activities of daily living, Lawton index: scoring range from 0–8
  6. dPrevious diagnosis of cognitive impairment or dementia, or positive screening performed with Minicog: scoring range 0–5 points (< 3 positive screening for cognitive impairment)
  7. eGeriatric Depression Scale Yesavage (GDS-15): scoring range from 0–15 points (> 5 points: probable depression)
  8. fClinical Frailty Scale (CFS): scoring range from 1–9 points (1–3: very fit-fit, managing well; 4–6: mild-to-moderate frailty; 7–9: severe frailty-to-terminally ill)
  9. gBrief Physical Activity Assessment Tool (BPAAT): scoring range from 0–8 (≥ 4 points: sufficient active, 0–3: insufficient active)
  10. hSocial Loneliness Scale (ESTE-II): scoring range 0–30 (≥ 11 points: moderate-to-high social loneliness)
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BMC Geriatrics

ISSN: 1471-2318

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