Cuvinte cheie
COVID-19
mental health
older adults
precautionary measures
psychogeriatric
Rezumat
Background: Due to prevailing low levels of formal
education and access to information, older Nigerians
with mental illness may constitute a potentially
neglected population in efforts to mitigate the spread
of the novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-
19).
Methods: A cross-sectional study using a mixed
method approach to assess 173 patient-caregiver
dyads attending an outpatient mental health clinic for
older people in Nigeria. A purpose-designed semi
structured questionnaire was used to assess the
awareness, atitudes and practices(AAP) of older
adults with psychiatric disorders and their caregivers
towards COVID 19 pandemic. Key informant
interviews (KII) were carried out with 10 patients’-
caregivers’ dyads to further explore participants’
awareness about the pandemic and their perspectives
towards the lockdown.
Results: Majority (96.5%) of the patients and all
caregivers were aware of the existence of the
COVID-19 pandemic. However, many of the patients
were unaware of the cause (71.7%), mode of
transmission (85.0%), symptomology (63.0%) and
75.2% were indifferent towards the pandemic.
Female patients compared to the males had higher
odds of poor awareness about COVID-19 (O. R=2.6,
95% C. I=1.4-4.9). Responses from the KII showed
that participants were either indifferent, surprised or
afraid of the lockdown.
Conclusion: The poor awareness of thecause,
modes of transmission,symptomatology of COVID-
19 as well as the indifferent attitude towards the
pandemic amomg majority of the older adults with
psychiatric disorder underpina need for health
education activities, targeted at improving their AAP
towards COVID-19 and its related public health
concerns.
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