Revisiting Technology’s Impact: A Pre-and During-COVID Study on Mental Health in Older Adults

TL;DR

This study explores how increased technology use during the pandemic affected mental health in older adults, finding that it often worsened outcomes, especially for those with pre-existing conditions.

Contribution

The study introduces a longitudinal analysis of mental health in older adults before and during the pandemic, revealing nuanced effects of technology use and income on psychological outcomes.

Findings

Increased technology use was linked to greater mental health deterioration among older adults during the pandemic.

Pre-existing mental health conditions amplified the negative effects of technology use on mental health outcomes.

Income level was a stronger predictor of mental health outcomes than technology use, especially for those with severe mental health conditions.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated mental health challenges among older adults, yet existing research remains methodologically limited, often relying on cross-sectional designs that fail to capture temporal changes. This study aims to fill this gap by examining individual-level mental health trajectories before and during the pandemic, contributing to deeper understanding of the long-term psychological effects of crisis events on older populations. Using a longitudinal fixed-effects probit model, we analyze data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) Round 9 (pre-pandemic) and Round 10 (during the pandemic), allowing us to control for unobserved heterogeneity and incorporate lagged variables that account for delayed mental health effects. The sample includes 3,257 respondents, predominantly female (58%), White American (76%), and aged 75-79 (29%). Findings reveal that increased technology use-particularly virtual communication, telehealth, and online social engagement-was associated with greater mental health deterioration among older adults. However, these effects were contingent on pre-existing mental health conditions, as those with a history of depression or anxiety experienced negative impacts. Additionally, income level emerged as a stronger predictor of mental health outcomes than technology use, particularly among individuals with severe mental health conditions, highlighting economic security as a critical determinant of resilience. These findings contribute to theoretical discussions on crisis-induced vulnerability and have significant policy and clinical implications. Policymakers must strengthen income support programs, social safety nets, and digital inclusion efforts, while clinicians should recognize that technology-driven interventions must be accompanied by financial and mental health support to effectively address disparities among older adults.