Long-term care facilities' response to the COVID-19 pandemic: An international, cross-sectional survey.

AIMS: To (i) assess the adherence of long-term care (LTC) facilities to the COVID-19 prevention and control recommendations, (ii) identify predictors of this adherence and (iii) examine the association between the adherence level and the impact of the pandemic on selected unfavourable conditions. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. METHODS: Managers (n = 212) and staff (n = 2143) of LTC facilities (n = 223) in 13 countries/regions (Brazil, Egypt, England, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Norway, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Thailand and Turkey) evaluated the adherence of LTC facilities to COVID-19 prevention and control recommendations and the impact of the pandemic on unfavourable conditions related to staff, residents and residents' families. The characteristics of participants and LTC facilities were also gathered. Data were collected from April to October 2021. The study was reported following the STROBE guidelines. RESULTS: The adherence was significantly higher among facilities with more pre-pandemic in-service education on infection control and easier access to information early in the pandemic. Residents' feelings of loneliness and feeling down were the most affected conditions by the pandemic. More psychological support to residents was associated with fewer residents' aggressive behaviours, and more psychological support to staff was associated with less work-life imbalance. CONCLUSIONS: Pre-pandemic preparedness significantly shaped LTC facilities' response to the pandemic. Adequate psychological support to residents and staff might help mitigate the negative impacts of infection outbreaks. IMPACT: This is the first study to comprehensively examine the adherence of LTC facilities to COVID-19 prevention and control recommendations. The results demonstrated that the adherence level was significantly related to pre-pandemic preparedness and that adequate psychological support to staff and residents was significantly associated with less negative impacts of the pandemic on LTC facilities' staff and residents. The results would help LTC facilities prepare for and respond to future infection outbreaks. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No Patient or Public Contribution.

Dental Anxiety and Oral-Health-Related Quality of Life among Rural Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the association between dental anxiety (DA) and oral-health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among rural community-dwelling older adults. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 390 rural community-dwelling older adults attending outpatient clinics of the Damanhur National Medical Institute during the year 2021. Three instruments were used: a demographic and clinical data structured interview schedule, Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS), and the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-5) questionnaire. All statistical analyses were considered significant at a p-value of ≤0.001. Results: The main results showed that the prevalence of DA among participants was 90.5%, and 66.9% of the studied elderly population were either extremely (phobic) or very anxious. Moreover, a significant association was found between older adults' DA and their OHRQoL (p ˂ 0.001). Conclusions: It was concluded that DA represents a common problem among rural community-dwelling older adults and is a predictor for poor OHRQoL. Raising community awareness about the importance of oral health and implementing measures to avoid DA through specialized community campaigns is recommended, particularly in rural areas.

Older Adults' Perceived Risk Regarding COVID-19 and Intention to Vaccinate: Role of Health-Related Literacy.

The current cross-sectional descriptive study aimed to explore the association between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related health literacy, perceived risk, and intention to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. A sample of 414 older adults completed several questionnaires regarding COVID-19 risk perception, intention to vaccinate, and health literacy. Results revealed that more than one half of older adults demonstrated perceived high risk related to COVID-19 infection. Moreover, 31.6% of older adults noted their unwillingness to get vaccinated, and 39.4% demonstrated low health literacy regarding COVID-19. A significant positive correlation was found among older adults' perceived risk regarding COVID-19 infection, intention toward vaccination against COVID-19, and COVID-19-related health literacy. Findings serve to aid the Ministry of Health in planning proactive steps to increase COVID-19 vaccine uptake in older adults. [Research in Gerontological Nursing, 15(2), 57-67.].