Abstract

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHRONIC DISEASE HISTORY AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE ELDERLY IN NURSING HOMES IN THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Erdanela Setiawati*

ABSTRACT

The elderly in nursing homes experienced a high burden of chronic disease during the COVID-19 pandemic, due to restricted access to health services, which could affect their quality of life. Chronic disease is a comorbid disease that worsens the condition of the elderly who are infected with COVID-19. Elderly-group is one of the vulnerable groups that have high morbidity and mortality during a pandemic. The purpose of this study was to analyze the quality of life and chronic diseases of elderly living in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic and the relationship between the two. This study used a cross-sectional design and used WHOQOL-Bref quality-of-life questionnaire. Data analysis used the Chi-Square test with a significant level of <0.05. Results: From 70 elderly population at Kasih-Sayang-Ibu nursing-home (PSTW) in Batusangkar, district of Tanah-Datar, based on exclusion criteria, got sample 43 elderly. Characteristics of elderly: many (58.1%) the elderly are >70 years old, 65.1% elderly are male, 55.8% elderly have a low level of education (SD), 100% elderly are Muslim, 100% elderly are widowed or do not have a partner, and 100% elderly are no longer working. The elderly who have chronic disease are few (0-2CD) as much as 86.0%. The elderly who has poor quality-of-life is 74.4%. There is no relationship between Chronic-Disease and Poor Quality-of-Life for the Elderly in a nursing home with p=0.312.

Keywords: Elderly; Nursing-Home; Chronic Disease; Quality of Life (QOL); COVID-19.