Effect of COVID-19 social isolation on the fear of COVID-19, quality of life and cognitive functions in the elderly

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to appraise the impact of COVID-19 social isolation on fear of COVID-19, quality of life and cognitive functions. Materials and Methods: Individuals aged 65 and over who made an appointment for the CoronaVac vaccine via appointment system and 603 people residing in these houses, wanted to be vaccinated, gave informed consent for the vaccine and agreed to participate, were included in the study. Sociodemographic data form, Coronavirus 19 Phobia Scale, Mini Mental State Test and Short Form 36 Quality of Life Scale were filled in by the study population. Results: Patients included in our research, 63.0% were female (n=380) and 37.0% were male (n=223). The mean age was 77.65 +/- 8.05 (min:65, max:97) years. Status of having a relative with COVID-19, social function status of SF-36, mental health status of SF-36 economic status of CP19-S size and the total score of CP19-S were found as multivariate predictors of COVID-19 disease transmission. As the total score of the participants from the COVID-19 phobia scale increased, their cognitive functions significantly decreased. Conclusion: These findings reported important results regarding the effects of social isolation experienced by the elderly during the COVID-19 pandemic on quality of life, cognitive functions, and COVID-19 fear levels.