Rates of anxiety and depression among older adults have doubled since 2018.
One in 4 older adults have reported anxiety or depression during the pandemic, according to an analysis by Kaiser Family Fund (KFF). That rate is substantially higher than the 11% of older adults with Medicare who reported depression or anxiety in 2018.
Rates of anxiety or depression among older adults in August 2020 were higher among older people who were:
- Female: 28% of older women reported anxiety or depression, compared to 20% of older men.
- Younger: 26% of people between the ages of 65 and 74 reported feelings of anxiety or depression, compared to 19% of adults who were 80 and older.
- Hispanic: 33% of older Hispanics reported anxiety or depression, compared to non-Hispanic white adults (23%), non-Hispanic Black adults (26%), and Non-Hispanic Asian adults (17%).
- Low-income: 37% of older adults with household incomes under $25,000 reported anxiety or depression, compared to 20% of older adults with household incomes exceeding $100,000 annually.
- In poor health: 48% of older adults in poor or fair self-reported health reported anxiety or depression, compared to 24% of those in good self-reported health, and 14% of those in excellent or very good self-reported health.
- Lost employment income: 34% of older adults who said that they or someone in their household lost employment income since March 2020 reported anxiety or depression, compared to 21% of older adults who did not have this experience.
“Increased rates of anxiety and depression among older adults during the pandemic may be compounded by existing barriers to mental health treatment, particularly among people of color or those of low socioeconomic status who may experience more difficulty accessing mental health care or who may face more pronounced stigma surrounding mental health issues,” write the authors.