The relationship between COVID‐19 fear levels and healthy lifestyle behaviors of elderly individuals: a cross‐sectional study

Abstract

BackgroundIt is known that fear of COVID‐19 is associated with many lifestyle behaviours including delays in access to healthcare services and smoking status. However, the relationship between healthy lifestyle behaviours and fear of COVID‐19 in older individuals remains unclear. Therefore, there is a need for research that examines the relationship between healthy lifestyle behaviours and fear of COVID‐19 in elderly individuals. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the COVID‐19 fear levels of elderly individuals and their healthy lifestyle behaviours.MethodsThis cross‐sectional study was carried out with individuals at or over the age of 65 registered at a public health centre located in eastern Turkey (N = 494). Data collection tools included a form for descriptive variables and two scales, the Fear of COVID‐19 Scale (FCV‐19 S) and the Healthy Lifestyle Behaviours Scale–II (HLSBS‐II). Descriptive statistics, independent‐samples t‐test, ANOVA, correlation analyses, and hierarchical linear regression analyses were used in the analysis of the data.ResultsThe mean HLSBS‐II and FCV‐19 S scores of the participants were 127.61 ± 24.76 and 20.96 ± 7.29, respectively. While fear of COVID‐19 alone, as indicated by the FCV‐19 S score, explained 2.4% of the total variance in healthy lifestyle behaviours, fear of COVID‐19, having a university degree, and high economic status together explained 7.5% of the total variance in healthy lifestyle behaviours indicated by scores on the HLSBS‐II.ConclusionsThe results of this study showed that fear of COVID‐19 and healthy lifestyle behaviours were dynamics that are positively related, albeit to a small extent, to each other for elderly individuals. Additionally, it was revealed that elderly individuals have moderate levels of fear of COVID‐19 and healthy lifestyle behaviours.