Objectives: This study examined factors associated with the mental health of Medicare beneficiaries during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: The Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey COVID-19 Supplement administered in the Fall of 2020 of beneficiaries aged ≥65 years was analyzed (n = 6,173). A survey-weighted logistic model, adjusted for socio-demographics and comorbidities, was performed to examine factors (e.g., accessibility of medical/daily needs, financial security, and social connectivity) associated with stress/anxiety.
Results: Of Medicare beneficiaries, 40.8% reported feeling more stressed/anxious during the pandemic. Factors that were associated with this increased stress/anxiety include the inability to get home supplies (95% CI [3.4%, 16.5%]) or a doctor's appointment (95% CI [1.7%, 20.7%]), feeling less financially secure (95% CI [23.1%, 33.2%]) or socially connected (95% CI [19.1%, 25.6%]), and being female (95% CI [7.2%, 12.2%]), when compared with their respective counterparts. Non-Hispanic blacks were less likely to report feeling more stressed/anxious than non-Hispanic whites (95% CI [-19.9%, -9.0%]).
Conclusions: Our findings highlight that beneficiaries' mental health was adversely influenced by the pandemic, particularly in those who felt financially insecure and socially disconnected.
Clinical implications: It is warranted to screen at risk beneficiaries for stress/anxiety during Medicare wellness visits and advocate for programs to reduce those risk factors.
Keywords: COVID-19; anxiety; financially insecure; medicare beneficiaries; mental health; socially disconnected; stress.