Health, Psycho-Social Factors, and Ageism in Older Adults in Spain during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Older adults are a population at risk for COVID-19. This study has two independent objectives: (1) to report the impact of COVID-19, as well as psycho-social responses during lockdown, in a sample of older adults in Spain, and (2) to explore through the review of published surveys what extent ageism...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Healthcare |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/9/3/256 |
| _version_ | 1797416548971839488 |
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| author | Rocío Fernández-Ballesteros Macarena Sánchez-Izquierdo |
| author_facet | Rocío Fernández-Ballesteros Macarena Sánchez-Izquierdo |
| author_sort | Rocío Fernández-Ballesteros |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Older adults are a population at risk for COVID-19. This study has two independent objectives: (1) to report the impact of COVID-19, as well as psycho-social responses during lockdown, in a sample of older adults in Spain, and (2) to explore through the review of published surveys what extent ageism has increased at the population level. The first objective was to search through an online questionnaire collecting information about self-reported health, lifestyles, psycho-social conditions, and a diversity of concerns. This questionnaire was administered to a volunteer sample of 315 older Spanish men and women (301 COVID-19-free and 14 diagnosed with COVID-19). All individuals reported that they had information about the COVID-19 pandemic. Their self-perception of health was also quite good, most maintaining healthy lifestyles and few reporting unhealthy behaviors. They reported few changes in family and interpersonal relations during lockdown. Those diagnosed with COVID-19 reported higher levels of anxiety, irritation, and fear, in comparison with the COVID-19-free group. Interestingly, instead of being concerned about health, the greatest concern in both groups (COVID-free and those diagnosed with COVID) were politics and the future. Our second objective, to explore ageism during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, was examined across various surveys conducted in several populations by several authors. Results showed an increase in ageism in Spain. Although some new information about health perception, psychosocial responses, and concerns during this unknown stressful situation was obtained, much more research with representative samples is required in order to arrive at more accurate conclusions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T06:05:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e7bb854f6ba341829466628a07bee1fc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9032 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T06:05:48Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Healthcare |
| spelling | doaj.art-e7bb854f6ba341829466628a07bee1fc2023-12-03T12:05:04ZengMDPI AGHealthcare2227-90322021-03-019325610.3390/healthcare9030256Health, Psycho-Social Factors, and Ageism in Older Adults in Spain during the COVID-19 PandemicRocío Fernández-Ballesteros0Macarena Sánchez-Izquierdo1Department of Psychobiology and Health, Autonomous University of Madrid, 28049 Madrid, SpainDepartment of Psychology, Universidad Pontificia Comillas, 28049 Madrid, SpainOlder adults are a population at risk for COVID-19. This study has two independent objectives: (1) to report the impact of COVID-19, as well as psycho-social responses during lockdown, in a sample of older adults in Spain, and (2) to explore through the review of published surveys what extent ageism has increased at the population level. The first objective was to search through an online questionnaire collecting information about self-reported health, lifestyles, psycho-social conditions, and a diversity of concerns. This questionnaire was administered to a volunteer sample of 315 older Spanish men and women (301 COVID-19-free and 14 diagnosed with COVID-19). All individuals reported that they had information about the COVID-19 pandemic. Their self-perception of health was also quite good, most maintaining healthy lifestyles and few reporting unhealthy behaviors. They reported few changes in family and interpersonal relations during lockdown. Those diagnosed with COVID-19 reported higher levels of anxiety, irritation, and fear, in comparison with the COVID-19-free group. Interestingly, instead of being concerned about health, the greatest concern in both groups (COVID-free and those diagnosed with COVID) were politics and the future. Our second objective, to explore ageism during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, was examined across various surveys conducted in several populations by several authors. Results showed an increase in ageism in Spain. Although some new information about health perception, psychosocial responses, and concerns during this unknown stressful situation was obtained, much more research with representative samples is required in order to arrive at more accurate conclusions.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/9/3/256healthageismCOVID-19pandemicolder adultsageism |
| spellingShingle | Rocío Fernández-Ballesteros Macarena Sánchez-Izquierdo Health, Psycho-Social Factors, and Ageism in Older Adults in Spain during the COVID-19 Pandemic Healthcare health ageism COVID-19 pandemic older adults ageism |
| title | Health, Psycho-Social Factors, and Ageism in Older Adults in Spain during the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_full | Health, Psycho-Social Factors, and Ageism in Older Adults in Spain during the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Health, Psycho-Social Factors, and Ageism in Older Adults in Spain during the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Health, Psycho-Social Factors, and Ageism in Older Adults in Spain during the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_short | Health, Psycho-Social Factors, and Ageism in Older Adults in Spain during the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_sort | health psycho social factors and ageism in older adults in spain during the covid 19 pandemic |
| topic | health ageism COVID-19 pandemic older adults ageism |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/9/3/256 |
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