PTSD-Depression Comorbidity and Health among Older Adults Exposed to Missile Attacks: The Buffering Effect of a Young Subjective Age

The current study examined the potential fortifying effect of a young subjective age in older adults suffering from PTSD-only, depression-only and critically in older subjects suffering from PTSD-depression comorbidity. Physical and cognitive health were assessed to gauge whether a young age identity can mitigate detrimental health effects associated with PTSD-depression comorbidity. The study used data from the Israeli component of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE Israel; N=1,733, mean age=69.26, age range=50-105). It included data on missile shooting exposure during the 2014 Israel-Gaza conflict and ensuing PTSD symptoms, depressive symptoms and indices of physical and cognitive health (e.g., handgrip strength test, memory tests) and subjective age. Two-thirds (67.8%) had no PTSD or depression, 5.3% had PTSD-only, 20.8% had depression-only whilst 6.1% suffered from PTSD-depression comorbidity. Relative to the other three groups, the PTSD-depression comorbidity group reported the lowest level physical and cognitive health and felt older. Subjective age moderated the association between psychopathology and health (physical/cognitive). The most severe health impairments observed in the PTSD-depression comorbidity group diminished/disappeared when the comorbid participants displayed a young subjective age. Thus while PTSD-depression comorbidity was related to poorer health, subjective age moderated the strength of the association. Practitioners should be aware of the protective role of a young subjective age in older adults, even when they are suffering from debilitating conditions that render them more vulnerable, e.g., PTSD-depression comorbidity. Intervention programs with older populations exposed to warfare trauma should strive towards bolstering a young age identity.