Previous functional social and behavioral rhythms affect resilience to COVID-19-related stress among old adults

Carta, Mauro Giovanni;Fornaro, Michele;Minerba, Luigi;Pau, Massimiliano;Velluzzi, Fernanda;Atzori, Laura;Aviles Gonzalez, Cesar Ivan;Romano, Ferdinando;Littera, Roberto;Chessa, Luchino;Firinu, Davide;Del Giacco, Stefano;Restivo, Angelo;Deidda, Simona;Orrù, Germano;Scano, Alessandra;Onali, Simona;Coghe, Ferdinando;Kalcev, Goce;Cossu, Giulia

2022-01-01

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Abstract

Background: Functioning of Social Behavioral Rhythms (SBRs) may affect resilience toward stressful events across different age groups. However, the impact of SBRs on the coronavinis disease of 2019 (COVID-19) in elder people is yet to ascertain, representing the aim of the present report.Design and methods: Follow-up of a peer-reviewed randomized controlled trial on exercise on old adults ((3)65 years), concurrent to the onset of the pandemic-related lockdown. Post-RCT evaluations occurred after further 12 and 36 weeks since the beginning of the lockdown phase. People with Major Depressive Episode (MDE) at week-48 (follow-up endpoint) were deemed as cases, people without such condition were considered controls. MDE was ascertained using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9); SBRs functioning at week 12 onward, through the Brief Symptom Rating Scale (BSRS).Results: Seventy-nine individuals (53.2%, females) entered the RCT-follow-up phase. The frequency of MDE did not significantly change before versus during lockdown (OR 2.60, CI95%=0.87-9.13). People with BSRS>1 standard deviation of the whole sample score at week-12 had an inflated risk of DE during lockdown (OR-5.6, 95%CI:1.5-21.4) compared to those with lower BSRS scores. Such odd hold after excluding individuals with MDD at week-12. The post-hoc analysis could be potentially affected by selection bias.Conclusions: Overall, older adults were resilient during the first phase of the pandemic when functioning of pre-lockdown was still preserved, in contrast to the subsequent evaluations when the impairment of daily rhythms was associated with impaired reliance.