The effect of healthy lifestyle behaviours on the COVID-19 disease: Sample of Ankara

In this exploratory and cross-sectional study, some personal characteristics and the effect of healthy lifestyle behaviours on the COVID-19 disease was investigated. The study group determined by improbable sampling method consists of 400 participants over the age of 18 who live in Ankara province, who do not have any chronic disease and who suffered from COVID-19 disease. In the study, "Healthy Lifestyle Behaviours Scale II" and a Questionnaire Form prepared by the researcher to evaluate the course of COVID-19 disease were conducted online between 17.01.2022 - 26.05.2022. In this study, in which there were more female participants (51.75%), the majority of the participants were married (66.75%), had a bachelor's degree (64.5%), were public employees (71.25%) and have lived with 4 people at home (29.75%). The majority of the participants had not smoked, used alcohol and vitamin preparations, supplements or supplementary medicines or products before getting the disease. Moreover, while the majority of the participants were not vaccinated, the maximum dose of COVID-19 vaccination was two. The participants were mostly followed up at home during duration of the disease, and the most common symptom was tiredness (fatigue). It was determined that the symptoms observed during the disease process progressed more slightly than the picture encountered and the treatments applied. The disease course of the female participants was found to be more severe than the male participants in terms of the symptoms experienced. It was also determined that the number of participants with undergraduate and graduate degrees who survived the disease at home is higher than the other participants. It was found out that participants with a higher median age received treatment to reduce the severity of the disease, experienced more severe symptoms of the disease, got a higher rate of hospitalisation. The rate of receiving treatment to reduce the severity of the disease was found to be higher in non-smoker, between 1 and 10 cigarettes (per day) smoker and worker groups. Alcohol user participant groups was received highly hard treatment to reduce the severity of the disease. It was determined that the participants who were vaccinated were followed up more commonly at home and received less treatment in the hospital to reduce the course of the disease, while it was figured out that those who had the Biontech vaccine experienced less difficult course of the disease than those who had the Sinovac vaccine. It was found that the paticipants who engaged in physical activities had milder symptoms of the disease, while the participants with good spiritual development and interpersonal relationships had a slightly course of the disease. Lastly, it was determined that the participants with good spiritual development and interpersonal relationships had less hospitalisation status in intensive care unit.