ABSTRACT
The prevalence of prehospital delay is high among older adults with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The current study aimed to examine the associated factors of prehospital delay among patients with ACS during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-sectional study was conducted on a convenience sample of 300 older adults with ACS admitted to the emergency department in Jordan. Data were collected from June 1 to September 1, 2020. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to explore the predictors of prehospital delay. Being widowed, educational level, pain intensity, the gradual onset of ACS symptoms, symptoms lasting for more than 30 minutes, patients' feeling anxious about their ACS symptoms, patients' perceiving their symptoms to be particularly dangerous, history of myocardial infarction (MI), and mode of transportation were associated with the time taken before seeking emergency care. Significant predictors of time to seek help were chief complaint of chest pain or palpitations, abrupt onset of symptoms, the associated symptom of vertigo, and a higher number of chronic illnesses; they explained about 17.9% of the variance in the time to seek care. The average time to seek care among patients with ACS during the COVID-19 pandemic was found to be longer than the average time reported by studies conducted prior the pandemic. Improved understanding of the associations between prehospital delay is crucial for optimal ACS patient outcomes under the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Subject(s)
Acute Coronary Syndrome , COVID-19 , Acute Coronary Syndrome/diagnosis , Acute Coronary Syndrome/epidemiology , Acute Coronary Syndrome/therapy , Aged , COVID-19/epidemiology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Emergency Service, Hospital , Hospitals , Humans , Length of Stay , PandemicsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Frailty syndrome is characterized by a decline in physiological and psychological reserve and may be associated with poor health outcomes. OBJECTIVES: The current study explored frailty and its correlates among cognitively intact community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: A secondary analysis of data collected from 109 community-dwelling older adults who are cognitively intact was conducted for the purpose of this study. The Arabic versions of the culturally adapted Tilburg Frailty Indicator, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, the Geriatric Depression Scale, and the Short Form-36 Quality of Life (QOL) survey. Multiple linear regression was used to examine the relationships between frailty and depression. RESULTS: The results indicated a high prevalence of frailty (78%) and depression (38%) among cognitively intact community-dwelling older adults. Frailty was found to be associated with increased age, being single or illiterate, living alone, having a high number of comorbid conditions, having high rate of depression, and having poor QOL. CONCLUSION: High prevalence of frailty is associated with high depression scores, a high number of comorbid conditions, and poor QOL among cognitively intact community-dwelling older adults.
