Understanding resilience: Lifestyle-based behavioral predictors of mental health and well-being in community-dwelling older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract Background Changes in sleep, physical activity and mental health were observed in older adults during early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Here we describe effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on older adult mental health, wellbeing, and lifestyle behaviors and explore predictors of better mid-pandemic mental health and wellbeing. Methods Participants in the Adult Changes in Thought study completed measures of lifestyle behaviors (e.g., sleep, physical activity) and mental health and wellbeing both pre-pandemic during regular study visits and mid-pandemic via a one-time survey. We used paired t-tests to compare differences in these measures pre- vs. mid-pandemic. Using multivariate linear regression, we further explored demographic, health, and lifestyle predictors of pandemic depressive symptoms, social support, and fatigue. We additionally qualitatively coded free text data from the mid-pandemic survey for related comments. Results Participants (N = 896) reported significant changes in mental health and lifestyle behaviors at pre-pandemic vs. mid-pandemic measurements (p