The Relationship Between Self-Care and Depression in Older People in the Post-COVID Period: The Mediating Role of Hopelessness and Social Support

Aging is an important issue in psychological health and quality of life. Older people are vulnerable members of the society, prone to mental disorders, especially depression. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between self-care and depression through hopelessness and social support in older people in the post-COVID period. This was a correlational study, using structural equation modeling (SEM). The statistical population consisted of all older people in Tehran, Iran with a sample of 260 individuals selected through convenience sampling. The measures used in this study included the second edition of Beck’s depression inventory, Younesi Borojeni’s elderly self-care questionnaire, Zimet et al.’s multidimensional scale of perceived social support, and Beck’s hopelessness scale. The data obtained from the questionnaires were analyzed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient and SEM in SPSS-26 and AMOS-24 software. The results indicated that the relationship between self-care and depression was significant through hopelessness (P<0.001, β=-0.87), and the relationship between self-care and depression was also significant through social support (P<0.001, β=-0.126). Based on the findings and the clarification of the relationships between self-care and depression in older people through the mediation of hopelessness and social support, effective actions can be taken to reduce depression and its psychological consequences in pandemic periods for this population.