COVID-19 And Mental Health Outcomes Of Older Adults: Evidence From Mexico

Estimates using data from the Mexican Health and Aging Study, a national longitudinal sample of older adults in Mexico, show elevated risk for negative mental health outcomes for those experiencing COVID-19 infection or major COVID-19-related adverse events. Predicted elevated probabilities were greater for a major adverse event than for COVID-19 infection, and they varied across sociodemographic groups defined by age, sex, education, and urban-rural residence.

The COVID-19 pandemic affected all dimensions of older adults’ lives. Evidence for high-income countries suggests that social distancing, infection, and major adverse events related to COVID-19 were associated with greater risk for depressive symptoms,^1,2 loneliness,³ life dissatisfaction,⁴ and forgone health care,^5,6 especially in vulnerable populations.^6,7 Our study contributes...