"Are the Psychological Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic Similar in Old-aged and Young Patients?"

Abstract

Objective: The Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a life-threatening event with high psychological effects. The old-aged are among the most vulnerable groups to the physical and psychological effects of the pandemic. This study was conducted to determine the psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as fear, anxiety, stress, depression, and sleep disturbance, on old-aged patients and evaluate whether these effects are similar to younger patients. Materials and Methods: A total of 302 outpatients admitted to internal medicine and geriatrics outpatient clinics were included in the study. Participants aged 65 and over were grouped into the ‘‘geriatric group’’ and those under 65 years of age in the ‘‘young group’’. The COVID-19 Fear Scale was used to assess the COVID-19 fear level of the participants, the Pitsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to assess their sleep, and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) was used to assess their mood. Patient groups were compared in terms of all these parameters. Results: Of the 302 participants, 131 (45.4%) were in the geriatric (mean age 73.07±7.27) and 171 (56.6%) (mean age 42.98±13.83) were in the young group. The mean FVC-19S score (26.12±5.54 in the geriatric group, 15.65±7.51 in the young group) and the mean DASS-21 score (39.43±9.92 in the geriatric group, 25.66±13.89 in the young group) were found to be significantly higher in the geriatric group (respectively p<0.001, p<0.001). Although the mean PSQI score was higher in the geriatric group than in the young group (7.12±4.08 in the geriatric group, 6.78±4.31 in the younger group), the difference did not reach the level of statistical significance (p=0.346). Conclusion: The rates of fear, anxiety, and depression caused by the COVID-19 pandemic are higher in the old-aged than in the young. More than half of the older adults included in the study have poor sleep quality. Both emotional distress and sleep disorders can predispose to many geriatric syndromes and have the potential to worsen existing problems.