Patterns of stress across the life course and their role in mental health and loneliness in older adults

Research problem and specific questionsPopulation aging in Sweden and worldwide makes it essential to increase our knowledge of mechanisms underlying older peoples’ mental health and loneliness to identify preventive strategies. Stress has a clear impact on mental health.

Yet, little is known about how different stressors (experiences that cause stress) in different contexts throughout the life course impact mental health problems and loneliness in older adults. Moreover, the stress-mental health-loneliness nexus throughout the life course is not well understood.

The overall goal of this project is to better understand how exposure to different kinds of stressors across the life course is associated with mental health and loneliness in older adults. What are the relations between stressors, mental health, and loneliness across the life course?

Are there ways to counteract the negative impact of stressors through social resources and lifestyle factors?Data and methodLongitudinal data will be used to assess age-based and life-long stressors: childhood e.g., family conflicts, adulthood e.g., work stressors, late adulthood e.g., conflict with children or grandchildren, and stressors that may play a role from childhood to older age, e.g., financial strain, death of relatives, loved ones, or close friends.

Outcomes: anxiety, depressive symptoms, self-reported psychiatric disorder, quality of life, suicidal thoughts, and perceived loneliness.

Importantly, we will also study how social resources and lifestyle factors can impact these associations, and the role that gender and socioeconomic position play across the life course.

Advanced statistical modelling will be used, e.g., structural equation models and growth curve models.Relevance and utilisationThis project aims to identify at-risk groups and modifiable factors that can buffer against stress.

The results can support practical recommendations on stress-buffering factors that can be implemented at strategic points in the life course, which can be promoted at a societal level, and, ultimately, help to reach the goals of sustainable and healthy aging for all.Plan for project realisationThe researchers have extensive knowledge of the proposed data sets, as well as access to them.

The main costs for the project are for salaries. We will work in close collaboration with Dr. Martin Hyde from Swansea University. To enable this, costs are included in the budget for several research visits during the project period.