THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COVID-19 PREVENTION MEASURES AND QUALITY OF LIFE OF ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH HYPERTENSION DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases, including arterial hypertension, are common comorbidities among the elderly due to COVID-19. This study aimed to determine the relationship between COVID-19 prevention measures and the quality of life for the elderly with hypertension during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was a descriptive correlation study that applied a cross-sectional approach that involved 133 respondents who were selected using the convenience sampling technique. Data were collected using questionnaires from the WHOQOL-BREF and COVID-19 prevention. The collected data were processed using the Chi-Square test. The results showed that the number of elderly participants who took positive and negative efforts in preventing COVID-19 transmission was almost equal, with a slightly higher number of participants taking positive efforts, with a total of 69 people (51.9%). There was also a higher number of elderly participants with a good quality of life, with 71 people (53.4%). The results indicated a relationship between COVID-19 prevention measures and the quality of life of elderly patients with hypertension during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a p-value of 0.008. Therefore, it can be concluded that prevention efforts in the form of health behaviors for the elderly with certain chronic diseases comorbid with COVID-19 can affect their quality of life.