Introduction: Psychosocial aspects need to be discussed in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. Currently, no studies have investigated the factors associated with social isolation and loneliness among community-dwelling older adults. Therefore, this study analyzed the association of social isolation and loneliness with socioeconomic, clinical, and health characteristics, and Covid-19-related variables, among community-dwelling older adults during the pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted via a telephone survey of community-dwelling older adults aged ≥60 years in Macapa, Amapa, Brazil. A structured form was used to collect data. Descriptive and inferential analyses were performed using Pearson's correlation test and a linear regression model. Results: Participants comprised 86 community-dwelling older adults with a mean age of 71.78+6.98 years. Among them, 9.3% were diagnosed with Covid-19, of whom 3.5% were hospitalized. Most participants reported no difficulty obtaining food, medicines, or attending routine medical appointments during the pandemic. Furthermore, 23.3% (n=20) were socially isolated, and 20.9% (n=18) reported feelings of loneliness. The mean values for fear, anxiety, and obsession were 19.01±7.25, 1.01±1.90, and 2.84±3.28, respectively. A moderate positive correlation was identified between loneliness and the number of diseases, and a weak positive correlation between loneliness and the number of medications and depressive symptoms and risk for sarcopenia. The linear regression model indicated that higher loneliness scores were associated with a greater number of diseases (β=0.288; p=0.007). Conclusions: The findings suggest a probable resilience of the older population to Covid-19, despite the association of loneliness with many diseases in times of a pandemic.
This article aims to identify the prevalence of and factors associated with dynapenic abdominal obesity (DAO) in older adults in a city in the northern region of Brazil. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 382 community-dwelling older adults in Macapa, Amapa, Brazil. Socioeconomic, clinical, and health information were collected using a structured form. DAO was defined as a combination of dynapenia (handgrip strength of < 26 kgf for men and < 16 kgf for women) and abdominal obesity (abdominal circumference > 102 cm for men and > 88 cm for women). Descriptive and inferential analyses were performed using chi-squared tests, Student’s t-tests, and a Poisson regression. The prevalence of DAO was 10.73%. In the preliminary bivariate analysis, the variables of age range, marital status, number of diseases, functional disability for basic and instrumental activities of daily living, gait speed, and level of physical activity met the established criterion. The final model indicated that only gait speed was a predictor of DAO in older adults. DAO affects nearly 11% of community-dwelling older adults from northern Brazil; gait speed was a predictor of DAO and could be a useful tool for managing and monitoring this population’s health.
Introdução: Embora esforços tenham sido dispendidos na tentativa de encontrar tratamentos e vacinas eficazes para combater a COVID-19, outras demandas como a abordagem aos aspectos psicossociais precisam ser consideradas e nenhum estudo anterior investigou os fatores associados ao isolamento social e solidão entre idosos na pandemia atual. Objetivo: Analisar a associação entre o isolamento social e a solidão com as características socioeconômicas e de saúde e as variáveis relacionadas à COVID-19 em idosos comunitários em tempos de pandemia. Métodos: Estudo transversal conduzido com 86 idosos (71,78±6,98 anos) contatados via inquérito telefônico em Macapá/AP. Utilizou-se formulário estruturado para as variáveis socioeconômicas, clínicas e de saúde, isolamento social e solidão, e as relacionadas à COVID-19. Procedeu-se a estatística descritiva e inferencial pelo teste de correlação de Pearson e modelo de regressão linear. Resultados: 9,3% informaram diagnóstico positivo para covid-19, e desses, 3,5% foram hospitalizados. Referiram sentimentos de solidão 20,9% e 23,3% se encontravam socialmente isolados. As médias para as variáveis relacionadas à COVID-19 como medo, ansiedade e obsessão foram 19,01±7,25, 1,01±1,90 e 2,84±3,28, respectivamente. Houve correlação positiva e moderada entre as variáveis solidão e número de doenças; e fraca entre as variáveis solidão e número de medicamentos, sintomas depressivos e risco para sarcopenia. O modelo de regressão linear indicou que o maior escore de solidão associou-se ao maior número de doenças (β=0,288; p=0,007). Conclusão: Os resultados deste estudo sugerem uma provável resiliência dos idosos frente à COVID-19, apesar da associação da variável solidão com o número de doenças em tempos de pandemia.
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