A recent study published in Cancer Management and Research highlights the substantial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of older adults who have previously battled cancer. The research, focusing on a cohort of 2,486 adults aged 50 and above with a history of cancer, participated in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.
Among the 1,765 individuals in the study who had a cancer history but no prior experience with depression, alarming findings emerged. Approximately one in eight individuals in this group experienced depression for the first time during the early stages of the pandemic.
Co-author Ying Jiang, Senior Epidemiologist at the Public Health Agency of Canada, noted that older adults with a history of depression were particularly vulnerable, and their challenges were exacerbated when they faced functional limitations, doubling the odds of depression.
Moreover, the study revealed a concerning link between family conflict during the pandemic and a fourfold risk of both new and recurrent depression among older adults who had battled cancer. Extended periods of lockdown and quarantine were associated with increased familial conflict, while access to coping mechanisms like socializing and spending time outside the home was reduced.
Gender also played a role in depression rates, with incident depression nearly 50% higher among women. Women’s higher likelihood of taking on caregiving roles and household labor during the pandemic contributed to this increased risk.
Esme Fuller-Thomson, the senior author of the study and Director of the Institute for Life Course & Aging, hopes that the study’s findings will provide valuable insights for healthcare professionals and social service providers, allowing them to better understand the pandemic’s impact on the mental well-being of individuals with a history of cancer. She also emphasizes the importance of ongoing research to comprehend the long-term effects of the pandemic on older adults with cancer.
