Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To understand how population mental health levels and inequalities in these are in the post-lockdown world compared to before the pandemic in adults aged 50 and older. METHODS: We used data from three Waves (2016-2017, n = 7191; 2018-2019, n = 7286; and 2021-2023, n = 6249) of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Using linear and modified Poisson regression models, we investigated whether prevalence of high depressive symptomatology, anxiety, and loneliness, and quality-of-life levels changed across time points overall and by gender, living situation, and wealth quintiles. Models were adjusted for age group, gender, education, and long-standing illnesses. RESULTS: No significant differences were found between 2016-2017 and 2018-2019. However, compared to 2018-2019, prevalence of high depressive symptoms (RR(2021-2023) = 1.23[95 %CI 1.12;1.34], p < 0.001), loneliness (RR(2021-2023) = 1.32[1.22;1.42], p < 0.001) and quality-of-life levels (B(2021-2023) = -1.84 [-2.21;-1.48], p < 0.001) were worse by 2021-2023. Pre-existing inequalities by gender, living arrangements, and wealth were not significantly different after the pandemic, except for depression, where gaps were significantly smaller by gender (RR(2021-2023*women) = 0.72[0.59;0.89], p = 0.002) and, to a smaller extent, living situation (RR(2021-2023*not_alone)=1.22[1.02;1.47], p = 0.026). CONCLUSION: Population mental health levels in the population aged 50 and older seem to have declined after the pandemic, and inequalities within the population persist.