Changes in depressive symptoms following spousal bereavement among Japanese older individuals across the COVID-19 pandemic: Findings from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES).

Abstract

This study investigated changes in depressive symptoms among older individuals who experienced spousal bereavement versus those who did not, comparing the periods before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study, a nationwide survey, we followed married participants (2016 or 2019) over a three-year period (2019 or 2022). Participants were categorized as either remaining married or having become widowed. We used a difference-in-differences approach to estimate the differential change in depressive symptoms associated with bereavement over time, comparing the periods before and during the pandemic. This model accounted for time-invariant group differences and common secular trends while adjusting for baseline covariates, including gender, age, socioeconomic status, health-related factors, and social factors, to balance the participants' backgrounds. Comparing the periods before and during the pandemic (2019-2022), depressive symptoms decreased in the bereaved group, whereas they increased in the non-bereaved, with consistent findings across multiple analyses.