Psychosocial Predictors of Anxiety and Depression in Community-Dwelling Older Adults During a Prolonged Infectious...

Infectious disease outbreaks are recurring global crises that particularly impact older adults, who are vulnerable both biologically and psychosocially. Older adults living in the community, often depending on informal support rather than institutional care, may be especially at risk during extended outbreaks. This study examined psychosocial predictors of anxiety and depression with a focus on the novel integration of multidimensional infectious-disease-related stress and differentiated functional pathways of social support.

A cross-sectional survey involved 178 community-dwelling adults aged 65 and older in South Korea. Validated tools measured anxiety (K-GAI), depression (K-GDS-SF), infectious disease-related stress (fear of infection, anger toward others, and social distancing difficulties), social support (emotional, informational, material, and appraisal), and chronic illness status. Data analysis included correlation analyses and stepwise multiple regression.

Difficulties adhering to social distancing were the strongest stress-related predictor of both anxiety and depression, while emotional support emerged as the most powerful protective factor against both outcomes. Material support uniquely mitigated depressive symptoms, and older adults with chronic illness showed heightened vulnerability to depression.

Infectious-disease-related stress is multidimensional, extending beyond fear of infection to include social-participation disruption and relational strain. Findings highlight that different types of social support exert distinct protective effects through function-specific mechanisms, reinforcing the importance of targeted intervention design. Practical implications include strengthening emotional-support infrastructure, implementing hybrid digital-offline outreach models, and prioritizing resource allocation for medically vulnerable older adults as part of preparedness planning for future prolonged public-health emergencies.