Older adults access to mental health and social care services during COVID-19 restrictions in Western Australia

Figures & data

Table 1. Mental health and social care services.

Mental Health-Related Services

General Practitioner (GP)

Nurse

Hospital emergency department

Aboriginal health worker

Psychologist, counsellor, or therapist

Psychiatrist

Mental health facility

Online chat service, e.g., Beyond Blue

Telephone support, e.g., Lifeline, The Samaritans

Social Care Services

Recreational group or support group, e.g., men’s shed, art class, bowling club, knitting club, book club, RSL, cultural group

Religious or spiritual support

Community support services, e.g., in-home aged care support, family, and carer support services

Table 2. Characteristics of participants.

Characteristics	Total (N =194)
Age M(SD)	71.41 (6.93)
Sex n(%)
Female	109 (56.2%)
Male	85 (43.8%)
Relationship Status n(%)
In a current relationship	106 (54.6%)
Not in a current relationship	87 (44.8%)
Other	1 (0.5%)
Level of Education n(%)
Up to Year 10	52 (26.8%)
Year 11 or above	142 (73.2%)
Employment Status n(%)
Employed	22 (11.3%)
Unemployed	13 (6.7%)
Retired	156 (80.4%)
Volunteer work only	3 (1.5%)
Financial Situation n(%)
Always/Mostly able to make ends meet	165 (85.0%)
Sometimes able to make ends meet	24 (12.4%)
Never able to make ends meet	5 (2.6%)
Government healthcare card or pension card n(%)	156 (80.4%)
Private Health Insurance n(%)	112 (57.7%)

Table 3. Participants’ social networks.

Social network	n (%)
How many people do you feel close to that you could call on for help?
None	8 (4.1%)
One or two	47 (24.2%)
Three or four	86 (44.4%)
Five or more	53 (27.3%)
How many people would you feel able to have a chat with?
None	13 (6.7%)
One or two	62 (32.0%)
Three or four	79 (40.7%)
Five or more	40 (20.6%)

Table 4. Satisfaction with mental health and social care services during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown.

Statement	Disagree	Agree	N/A
These services met my needs	7 (16.3%)	33 (76.7%)	3 (7.0%)
I felt like my needs were met within a reasonable timeframe	8 (18.6%)	31 (72.1%)	4 (9.3%)
I was able to discuss my needs	8 (18.6%)	33 (76.7%)	2 (4.7%)
I felt these services met my cultural needs	2 (4.7%)	17 (39.5%)	24 (55.8%)
I felt these services met my language needs	2 (4.8%)	20 (47.6%)	20 (47.6%)
I could afford these services	5 (11.4%)	31 (70.4%)	8 (18.2%)
I felt safe from COVID-19 in my dealings with these services	3 (7.0%)	35 (81.4%)	5 (11.6%)
I could easily find information about these services	4 (9.3%)	30 (69.8%)	9 (20.9%)
I felt comfortable using online technologies to get information	7 (16.7%)	21 (50.0%)	14 (33.3%)
I felt comfortable using the telephone to get information	4 (9.8%)	23 (56.1%)	14 (34.1%)
I would have preferred getting information or support face-to-face	3 (7.0%)	28 (65.1%)	12 (27.9%)

Participants with missing data were excluded from the analyses.

Table 5. Barriers to accessing services during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown.

Barrier	n (%)
Should be able to cope on my own	15 (42.8%)
Prefer face-to-face care	11 (31.4%)
Afraid of being exposed to COVID-19	6 (17.1%)
Had more important responsibilities	6 (17.1%)
Limited/no access to digital technologies	4 (11.4%)
Difficulties communicating online	4 (11.4%)
Worried that staff would not take my concerns seriously	4 (11.4%)
Believed services were too overwhelmed, my concerns were not severe enough	4 (11.4%)
Could not afford it	3 (8.6%)
Did not know what services were available	3 (8.6%)
Did not know how to use digital technologies	3 (8.6%)
Difficulties communicating through face masks	2 (5.7%)
Difficulties accessing transport	2 (5.7%)
Did not feel I could trust service providers	1 (2.9%)
Do not believe services can help me	0 (0.0%)

Figure 1. Themes and quotes from participants on barriers and facilitators to accessing services.

Table 6. Logistic regressions of demographic factors on service access.

Variables	Total number of participants n = 194	Total number of participants who experienced the outcome	Unadjusted			Adjusted
			Odds Ratio	95%CIs	Odds Ratio	95%CIs
Did not access services
Sex (n %)
Male	85 (43.8%)	70 (82.3%)	1.85	0.92, 3.72	1.80	0.89, 3.62
Female	109 (56.1%)	78 (71.5%)	1.00			1.00
Age (M ± SD)
Age in years	71.41 ± 6.93		1.03	0.98, 1.08	1.02	0.97, 1.07
COVID-19 impact (M ± SD)
Personally affected by COVID-19	3.84 ± 0.99		1.75*	1.23, 2.47	1.73*	1.21, 2.49
Social networks (M ± SD)
Number of people to call on for help	3.95 ± 1.12		1.30	0.97, 1.74	1.28	0.94, 1.74
Number of people able to chat with	3.62 ± 1.27		1.03	0.79, 1.34	0.98	0.75, 1.30
Relationship status (n %)
Not in a current relationship	87 (45.0%)	59 (67.8%)	0.43*	0.22, 0.85	0.45*	0.22, 0.90
In a current relationship	106 (54.9%)	88 (83.0%)	1.00			1.00
Education (n %)
Less than high school	52 (26.8%)	38 (73.0%)	0.79	0.38, 1.64	0.85	0.41, 1.78
High school and above	142 (73.2%)	110 (77.4%)	1.00			1.00
Financial situation
Able to save always or most of the time	165 (85.0%)	128 (77.5%)	1.56	0.65, 3.71	1.33	0.54, 3.26
Able to save half the time/never	29 (14.9%)	20 (68.9%)	1.00			1.00
Wanted to access services but chose not to
Sex (n %)
Male	85 (43.8%)	11 (12.9%)	0.53	0.24, 1.15	0.57	0.26, 1.24
Female	109 (56.1%)	24 (22.0%)	1.00			1.00
Age (M ± SD)
Age in years	71.41 ± 6.93		0.95	0.89, 1.00	0.95	0.90, 1.01
COVID-19 impact (M ± SD)
Personally affected by COVID-19	3.84 ± 0.99		0.45**	0.30, 0.67	0.47**	0.31, 0.71
Social networks (M ± SD)
Number of people to call on for help	3.95 ± 1.12		0.74	0.54, 1.02	0.78	0.55, 1.09
Number of people able to chat with	3.62 ± 1.27		0.90	0.68, 1.20	0.98	0.72, 1.33
Relationship status
Not in a current relationship	87 (45.0%)	18 (20.6%)	1.37	0.66, 2.84	1.32	0.62, 2.81
In a current relationship	106 (54.9%)	17 (16.0%)	1.00			1.00
Education
Less than high school	52 (26.8%)	12 (23.0%)	1.55	0.71, 3.40	1.44	0.65, 3.20
High school and above	142 (73.2%)	23 (16.2%)	1.00			1.00
Financial situation
Able to save always or most of the time	165 (85.0%)	24 (14.5%)	0.28*	0.12, 0.66	0.33*	0.14, 0.82
Able to save half the time/never	29 (14.9%)	11 (37.9%)	1.00			1.00

*<.05, **<.001. M = mean, SD = standard deviation, CI = confidence intervals. For the adjusted models sex and age were entered as covariates.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, CA, upon reasonable request.