Anxiety and emotion assessment of individuals in geriatric age group during Covid-19 pandemia

Introduction and purpose: The social, political, economic and psychological reflections of the Covid-19 pandemic, which started in China and affected the whole world, have been an undeniable reality that is suddenly located in the middle of our lives. Not knowing the exact cause of its occurrence, the inability to control the virus and the potential risk of all individuals in the world turned the epidemic into a global trauma. Notwithstanding the disease is highly contagious, it is more severe in elderly individuals. Depression and anxiety are also important problems seen in the elderly. In this study, we aimed to assess the anxiety and emotion of individuals over the age of 60 after the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and methods: 393 patients aged 60 and over were included in the study. Participants history of COVID-19 disease, chronic diseases, number of drugs used, income levels, education levels, antidepressant drug use were questioned. Beck Anxiety Score (BAS) and Beck Depression Score (BDS) form questionnaires were applied. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 22nd edition. Findings: The mean age of the participants was 69.4 ± 7.2 (minimum 60 years, maximum 102 years). Anxiety and depression mean scores were found to be higher in individuals with a low income level and polypharmacy, or those whose relatives or themselves had COVID-19 disease. There was a statistically significant weak positive correlation between the number of drugs used by the patients and the BAS score, while a statistically significant strong positive correlation was found between the BDS and BAS scores. According to the results of multivariate logistic regression analysis, low income level and a history of COVID-19 in the immediate environment were determined as independent variables for anxiety and depression, while age was determined as an independent variable for depression. Conclusion: According to the results of this study, it was found that the mean scores of anxiety and depression were high in those with low income and polypharmacy in those who themselves or their relatives had COVID-19 disease. Considering that elderly individuals need medical support as well as psychological support, it would be beneficial to facilitate individuals' access to mental health support during the COVID-19 pandemic, which is accompanied by anxiety and despair. While putting the measures to reduce virus spread at the center of management strategies, practices that support the physical and psychological health of elderly people should be taken into consideration. To make individuals to overcome the pandemic process and its aftermath with less physical and psychological damage will lead countries to overcome these processes with less economic and social damage in the long run. Keywords: COVID-19, quality of life, anxiety, depression