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Health service accessibility, mental health, and changes in behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study of older adults

2022Journal article Open access
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dc.contributor.authorvon Humboldt, Sofia
dc.contributor.authorLow, Gail
dc.contributor.authorLeal, I.
dc.date.accessioned2022-04-14T18:06:02Z
dc.date.available2022-04-14T18:06:02Z
dc.date.issued2022
dc.description.abstractThe COVID-19 pandemic has affected the access of older adults to health services. The two objectives of this study are understanding the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on older adults’ access to health services and exploring how health service accessibility during the pandemic influenced older adults’ mental health and self-reported changes in behavior. This study included 346 older adults. Content analysis produced five themes: (1) decreased physical accessibility to health care providers (78%); (2) increased use of online health services and other virtual health care (69%); (3) growth in the online prescription of medication (67%); (4) difficulty obtaining information and accessing non-communicable disease and mental health indicators (65%); and (5) postponement of medical specialist consultations (51%). Regarding mental health, three themes emerged: (1) increased symptoms of anxiety, distress, and depression (89%); (2) the experience of traumatic situations (61%); and (3) the augmented use of alcohol or drugs (56%). Finally, the following changes in behavior were indicated: (1) frustrated behavior (92%); (2) emotional explosions (79%); and (3) changes in sleeping and eating behaviors (43%). Access to health services may have influenced the mental health and behavior of older adults, hence interventions in a pandemic must address their interactions with health services, their needs, and their well-being.pt_PT
dc.description.sponsorshipFundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia - FCTpt_PT
dc.description.versioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionpt_PT
dc.identifier.citationSofia von Humboldt, Gail Low, & Isabel Leal. (2022). Health Service Accessibility, Mental Health, and Changes in Behavior during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study of Older Adults. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(4277), 4277. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19074277pt_PT
dc.identifier.doi10.3390/ijerph19074277pt_PT
dc.identifier.issn16617827
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10400.12/8642
dc.language.isoengpt_PT
dc.peerreviewedyespt_PT
dc.publisherMDPI Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institutept_PT
dc.relationSexual well-being in old age: A cross-cultural mixed-methods study and an intervention with community-dwelling older adults
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/pt_PT
dc.subjectAccess to health servicespt_PT
dc.subjectChanges in behaviorpt_PT
dc.subjectHealth service accessibilitypt_PT
dc.subjectMental healthpt_PT
dc.subjectOlder adultspt_PT
dc.titleHealth service accessibility, mental health, and changes in behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study of older adultspt_PT
dc.typejournal article
dspace.entity.typePublication
oaire.awardTitleSexual well-being in old age: A cross-cultural mixed-methods study and an intervention with community-dwelling older adults
oaire.awardURIinfo:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/OE/SFRH%2FBPD%2F116114%2F2016/PT
oaire.citation.conferencePlaceSwitzerlandpt_PT
oaire.citation.endPage13pt_PT
oaire.citation.issue7pt_PT
oaire.citation.startPage1pt_PT
oaire.citation.titleInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Healthpt_PT
oaire.citation.volume19pt_PT
oaire.fundingStreamOE
person.familyNamevon Humboldt
person.familyNameMaria Pereira Leal
person.givenNameSofia
person.givenNameIsabel
person.identifier.ciencia-idC616-1C7E-4A02
person.identifier.ciencia-id9116-1A09-8BE5
person.identifier.orcid0000-0001-9664-6735
person.identifier.orcid0000-0002-1672-7912
project.funder.identifierhttp://doi.org/10.13039/501100001871
project.funder.nameFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
rcaap.rightsopenAccesspt_PT
rcaap.typearticlept_PT
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relation.isAuthorOfPublication7302fd27-17cc-49a3-a25d-5388723e5733
relation.isAuthorOfPublication.latestForDiscovery5af79b04-8ce2-4011-af50-0395506cc56f
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