Factors Associated with Loneliness and Psychological Distress in Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Kazakhstan: A Cross-Sectional Study

Izekenova A. Izekenova A. Sukenova D. Nikolic D. Chen Y. Rakhmatullina A. Nurbakyt A.
April 2025 Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)

Medicina (Lithuania)
2025 #61 Issue 4

Background and Objectives: In Kazakhstan, during the COVID-19 pandemic, older adults faced unique challenges, such as limited healthcare resources and prolonged periods of social isolation. The aim of our study was to evaluate the sociodemographic and health-related factors associated with loneliness and psychological distress in older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic in Kazakhstan. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 445 participants aged 60 and above were recruited from Kazakhstan during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) was used to measure psychological distress, anxiety, and depression. Loneliness was assessed using the UCLA Loneliness Scale (UCLA-3). The sociodemographic and health-related variables of the tested participants were analyzed. Results: Mean values from the UCLA-3 (p < 0.001), PHQ-4 (p < 0.001), anxiety (p < 0.001), and depression (p < 0.001) scores significantly differed between different categories of self-reported overall health. Significantly higher mean values were found in older adults with hypertension for UCLA-3 (p = 0.025), PHQ-4 (p = 0.001), anxiety (p = 0.001), and depression (p = 0.017); diabetes for UCLA-3 (p = 0.023), PHQ-4 (p = 0.029), and depression (p = 0.001); chronic heart failure for UCLA-3 (p = 0.005), PHQ-4 (p < 0.001), anxiety (p = 0.001), and depression (p < 0.001); cerebrovascular disease for UCLA-3 (p = 0.024), PHQ-4 (p = 0.002), anxiety (p = 0.001), and depression (p = 0.027); cardiovascular disease for UCLA-3 (p < 0.001), PHQ-4 (p < 0.001), anxiety (p < 0.001), and depression (p < 0.001); dementia for anxiety (p = 0.046); being single for UCLA-3 (p = 0.009), PHQ-4 (p = 0.031), and depression (p = 0.028); other ethnic backgrounds for PHQ-4 (p = 0.004) and anxiety (p = 0.013); and living in an urban place for PHQ-4 (p = 0.043). Being single was shown to be a significant predictor for loneliness (OR 2.21; 95%CI 1.28–3.84), anxiety (OR 2.09; 95%CI 1.14–3.84), and depression (OR 4.23; 95%CI 1.95–9.15). Below-average (OR 5.79; 95%CI 1.09–30.90) self-reported overall health was shown to be a significant predictor of anxiety. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that numerous sociodemographic and health-related factors were associated with loneliness, anxiety, and depression in older adults from Kazakhstan during the COVID-19 pandemic.

anxiety , COVID-19 , depression , health-related factors , loneliness , older adults , sociodemographic factors

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Department of Epidemiology with the Course of HIV, Asfendiyarov Kazakh National Medical University, Almaty, 050012, Kazakhstan
Center for Social and Business Research, Kenzhegali Sagadiyev University of International Business, Almaty, 050012, Kazakhstan
School of Social Work, Michigan State University, East Lansing, 48824, MI, United States
Department of Public Health, Asfendiyarov Kazakh National Medical University, Almaty, 050012, Kazakhstan
Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University Children’s Hospital, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Integrated Health Science, University at Albany, Albany, 12222, NY, United States

Department of Epidemiology with the Course of HIV
Center for Social and Business Research
School of Social Work
Department of Public Health
Faculty of Medicine
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics

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