Quality of Life of the Elderly During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Iran; A Cross-Sectional Study

Aims: Populations are generally susceptible to the new coronavirus, but the elderly are more susceptible to severe disease and are admitted to the intensive care unit, and the mortality rate is higher in elderly patients. This study aimed to evaluate the quality of life of the elderly during the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran. Instrument Methods: The present cross-sectional survey was conducted on 461 Iranian elderly. Data collection tools include a questionnaire focusing on the quality of life in physical and mental dimensions. Stark quality of life questionnaire to adapt and be useful in COVID-19 disease outbreak conditions; only short phrases have been added to relate it to the disease. Data analysis was done using independent t and ANOVA tests. Findings: Out of 461 participants in this study, 236 (51.2%) were men and the rest were women. Their average age was 70.46 years. The mean score of the mental component was 7.6±1.8 in women and 6.8±1.9 in men. The mean score of the physical component was 17.3±5.6 in women and 14.9±5.8 in men. There has been a significant relationship between the mental and physical components of gender. The results also showed that physical states of men enjoy better conditions compared to women (p=0.001). Conclusion: Therefore, it can be concluded that the quality of life of the elderly during the COVID-19 pandemic was low. Men also enjoyed better conditions in comparison with women.