EVALUATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ELDERLY PEOPLE’S FEAR OF CORONAVIRUS AND THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE FROM A SOCIAL WORK PERSPECTIVE

Authors : Beyza Ağırcan, Ecem Çakın, Hilal Güner, Özge Nur Doğan

Pages : 111-124

Doi:10.54467/trjasw.1522864

View : 55 | Download : 65

Publication Date : 2024-12-31

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :In 2019, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of the coronavirus a pandemic, leading to global preventive measures. These measures significantly changed people\\\'s lives, and the fear of coronavirus affected their quality of life. It was hypothesized that there might be a relationship between the quality of life and the fear of coronavirus, particularly among disadvantaged groups. This study investigates the relationship between the fear of coronavirus and the quality of life of elderly individuals. The study utilized the Quality of Life Scale, the Coronavirus Fear Scale, and a socio-demographic data form for elderly individuals. Interviews were conducted with 409 people, and after excluding invalid and incomplete responses, data from 386 individuals were analyzed. The data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 25 software, employing frequency, factor, reliability analyses, and testing hypotheses with correlation and multiple regression analyses. The findings are detailed in the results section and discussed in light of the existing literature. According to the findings, there is a significant negative relationship between the fear of coronavirus and quality of life. As the participants\\\' fear of coronavirus increased, their quality of life decreased. There was no significant relationship between the fear of coronavirus and factors such as gender, institutional care services for the elderly, and income status. The study concluded that the quality of life of the elderly negatively impacts their fear of coronavirus. To increase social interactions that have decreased due to the pandemic, online activities, hobby groups, and virtual communities should be encouraged. These approaches are believed to help reduce social isolation among elderly individuals. The quality of institutional care services should be improved, and the role of these services in reducing the fear of coronavirus among elderly individuals should be considered. These campaigns can help better understand and meet the needs of elderly individuals. The use of mixed research methods is believed to contribute to a deeper understanding of the fears and anxieties related to the coronavirus among elderly individuals.
Keywords : Korona virüsü korkusu, Sosyal hizmet perspektifi, Yaşam kalitesi, Yaşlılık