Impact of pre-existing subclinical depressive symptoms on the mental health of older adults during the COVID-19-related confinements.

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly challenged mental health of populations worldwide. We aimed to assess changes in mental health of cognitively unimpaired (CU) older adults with pre-existing subclinical depressive symptoms during pandemic-related confinements, and the factors that could modulate these changes. CU older adults with (DepS, n=53) and without (NoDepS, n=47) pre-existing subclinical depressive symptoms (defined using the Geriatric Depression Scale at baseline) from the Age-Well randomized controlled trial (NCT02977819) were included – for whom data at baseline, post-intervention visits and during the two national confinements were available. The 18-month meditation or non-native language training intervention was completed before the pandemic. DepS, compared to NoDepS, had higher levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms at all assessments, including confinements. DepS had a greater increase in anxiety than NoDepS between the two confinements, and this increase was associated with greater ruminative brooding at baseline, but was not moderated by meditation practice. Pre-existing subclinical depressive symptoms in older adults contribute to mental health deterioration during confinements, with rumination being the main factor involved – stressing the need to treat these symptoms.