The Follow up of the Anxiety Levels of Elderlies During the 'COVID-19' Pandemic: A Prospective Primary Care Study

Year 2024, Volume: 18 Issue: 3, 249 - 258, 05.09.2024

Öznur Kübra Odabaş , Ezgi Ağadayı , Duygu Ayhan Başer

https://doi.org/10.21763/tjfmpc.1362999

Abstract

Abstract

Background and Objectives: The COVID-19 outbreak became the first pandemic caused by coronaviruses. As the epidemic spread rate gradually increased in Turkey, curfews were imposed on individuals aged 65 and over. We thought that both the pandemic and the curfew caused anxiety in the elderly. This study investigated the prevalence of anxiety in the elderly and the follow up of the axiety level during curfew. Other purpose of the study was to determine the factors affecting anxiety.

Method: We evaluated older people’s anxiety status with an interval of 15 days and 6 months during the pandemic by using Geriatric anxiety scale. People aged 65 and over among the enrolled population of the FHC were contacted by telephone.

Results: The mean scores of the first Geriatric anxiety scale were 1.0 ± 2.4, second score applied at the 15th days was 0.5 ± 2.1, the third score applied at the sixth month was 0.3 ± 1.8. There was a significant difference between the three measurements (p
= 0.002).

Conclusions: Total anxiety scores of our sample were low and there was a significant difference between the three measurements performed 15th days and sixth month was a decrease in anxiety. Gender, education level, living alone, house type was found related with changes in anxiety.

Keywords

geriatric anxiety, family medicine, primary care, pandemic, covid-19, geriatric anxiety scale

Geriatrik Populasyonun Pandemi Dönemindeki Anksiyete Düzeylerinin Takibi

Abstract

Amaç: Dünyada pandemiye sebep olan COVID-19 virusu 2020 yılı başlarında ülkemizde görülmeye başlanmıs, zamanla vaka sayılarında artış yaşanmıştır. Virus yayılımının hızlandığı dönemde 65 yaş ve üstü populasyonda dışarı çıkma yasağı uygulanmıştır. Bu çalısmada hem pandeminin hem de dışarı çıkma yasağının yaşlılarda oluşturmuş olabileceği anksiyete durumu, anksiyete seviyesinin zaman içindeki değisimi ve anksiyeteyi etkileyen faktörler incelenmistir.

Metod: Bir aile sağligi merkezine kayitli olan 65 yaş üstü hastalar pandemi başında, 15 gün sonra ve 6 ay sonra, kayıtlı oldukları aile hekimleri tarafından aranarak bilgileri alınmışi onamları alınan kişilere Geriatrik anksiyete skalası uygulanmıştır.

Bulgular: İlk yapılan Geriatrik anksiyete skalası skoru 1.0 ± 2.4, ikinci sonuç 0.5 ± 2.1, üçüncü sonuç ise 0.3 ± 1.8 idi. Ölçümler arasında anlamlı değişiklik saptandı (p= 0.002).

Sonuç: Örneklemimizin total anksiyete skoru düşüktü ve aralıklı yapılan ölçümler arasında anlamlı değişiklik saptandı. Cinsiyet, eğitim durumu, yalnız yaşama, yaşanan ev tipi anksiyeteyi etkileyen faktörler olarak saptandı.

Keywords

pandemi, covid-19, anksiyete, geritrik anksiyete, geriatrik anksiyete skalasi, aile hekimligi, birinci basamak hekimlik

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