The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on going out, a critical activity of daily living, in the general elderly population

Abstract

Background During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, home quarantining and refraining from non-essential and non-urgent outings were enacted. The exact impact of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic on the activities of daily living (ADLs) in the general elderly population remains unclear. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the ability to go out, which is an important part of ADL, in the general elderly population. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted at a COVID-19 vaccination center in Habikino City, Osaka, Japan. Participants, aged ≥ 65 years, completed a questionnaire surveying general information, ADLs, presence of musculoskeletal symptoms, and quality of life at pre- and post-outbreak. Participants were classified into two groups based on their pre- and post-outbreak ability to go out: the Able-Able group comprised those who were able to go out before and after the pandemic, while the Able-Disabled group comprised those who had deteriorated in their ability to go out over the course of the pandemic. Univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with the Able-Disabled group. Results Among 33,191 elderly people living in the city, 12,088 (36.4%) participated in this study. In total, 341 (2.8%) people could not go out even pre-pandemic and 346 (2.9%) patients lost the ability to go out during the course of the pandemic. Independent risk factors for membership in the Able-Disabled group were older age, male sex, high body mass index, decreased daily exercise or no exercise habits, and new-onset musculoskeletal symptoms (back and joint pain). Conclusions The current study included 36% of the general elderly population living in a Japanese city. In total, 2.9% had lost the ability to go out post-outbreak, and the total number of elderly people unable to go out had doubled within 2 years after the start of the pandemic. A vicious cycle could occur in which ADLs decline due to decreased physical activity and reduced frequency of outings. It may be important for elderly people to avoid decreasing the opportunities for daily exercise and going out to maintain their ADLs.