Comparison of lifestyle, cognitive function, mental health, and quality of life between hospitalized older adults with COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 in South Korea: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has greatly impacted older adults, resulting in many deaths. The impact of lifestyle and mental health on vulnerable groups, such as older adults, can be large and long lasting. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of COVID-19 confirmation on cognition, lifestyle, mental health, and quality of life in adults aged 55 years. METHODS: The sample consisted of 111 people in the COVID group and 189 people in the non-COVID group aged over 55 years in South Korea. An online survey was conducted between January and May 2022. Participants responded to the following assessment tools: Yonsei Lifestyle Profile, Prospective and Retrospective Memory (PRMQ), Subjective Memory Complaints Questionnaire (SMCQ), Visual Analogue Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19 S), and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale abbreviated version (WHOQOL-BREF). Differences in lifestyle, cognition, depression, anxiety, and quality of life were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: There were significant differences in physical activity, diet, the total score of the PRMQ, PM (a sub-score of the PRMQ), PHQ-9, Korean version of the ISI (ISI-K), and WHOQOL-BREF scores between the COVID and non-COVID groups. However, there were no significant differences in activity participation, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), or FCV-19 S between groups. CONCLUSIONS: The study confirms that COVID-19 negatively affects memory, physical activity, diet, quality of life, depression, and insomnia in the older adults. Therefore, this study implicated that prevention and intervention strategies required improving the memory, lifestyle, and mental health of older adults with COVID-19. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, and approved by the Institutional Review Board of Yonsei university in Korea (Registration number: 1041849-202112-SB-226-03, Date of registration: 01042022).

The Mediating Role of Social Participation in Motoric Cognitive Risk and its Relation to Depression and Loneliness in Older Adults.

BACKGROUND: Motoric cognitive risk syndrome (MCR) reduces the quality of life, independence, and social interaction in older adults. Social participation is a potentially modifiable factor that benefits cognitive and mental health. This study explored the mediating roles of social participation between MCR and depression and between MCR and loneliness. METHODS: We performed a secondary analysis of data from the 2015-2016 National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project. Slow gait speed and cognitive decline were used to assess MCR. Mediation analysis was applied to two models, both of which used MCR as an exposure and social participation as a mediator. The outcomes were depression and loneliness for each model, respectively. RESULTS: Among 1,697 older adults, 196 (11.6%) had MCR. The mediating role of social participation was statistically significant in both models. The indirect effect (ß=0.267, p=0.001) of MCR on depression through social participation comprised 11.97% of the total effect (ß=2.231, p<0.001). The indirect effect (ß=0.098, p=0.001) of MCR on loneliness through social participation was 19.48% of the total effect (ß=0.503, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Interventions to increase social participation may reduce depression and loneliness of older adults with MCR.

Effects of a time-use intervention in isolated patients with coronavirus disease 2019: A randomized controlled study.

OBJECTIVE: Patients with coronavirus disease experience deterioration in occupational balance and mental health. The primary objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a time-use intervention on the occupational balance of isolated patients with coronavirus disease. Its impact on secondary outcomes including mental health and quality of life was also assessed. METHODS: This randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted in a single community-based hospital. Forty-one patients (19 in the experimental group and 22 in the control group) with coronavirus disease were recruited between February 1, 2021, and March 19, 2021. Participants were randomly assigned to receive a time-use intervention or education on self-activity. The time-use intervention is to plan a daily routine to engage in meaningful occupations. It consisted of 4 steps: time-use analysis, occupation selection, arrangement of activities and practice, and occupational therapist intervention. The control group was educated on self-activity and spent time autonomously. OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary outcome was occupational balance, evaluated using the Korean version of the Life Balance Inventory. Secondary outcomes were mental health and quality of life assessed using the Korean version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Korean Form of Zung's Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, Korean version of the Insomnia Severity Index, Multidimensional State Boredom Scale-8, Fear of Coronavirus Disease: Korean version of the Fear of Coronavirus Disease Scale, and World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment Instrument-BRIEF. Outcome measures were evaluated at admission and discharge. RESULTS: The time-use intervention significantly improved occupational balance (F = 14.12, p < .001) and all other measures of depression, anxiety, boredom, fear, and quality of life. Conversely, the control group showed a worsening pattern for all measures. CONCLUSION: The time-use intervention is effective for improving occupational balance, mental health, and quality of life in patients with coronavirus disease.

Psychological rehabilitation for isolated patients with COVID-19 infection: A randomized controlled study.

OBJECTIVE: To improve the mental health of isolated patients with COVID-19 by face-to-face psychological rehabilitation program. DESIGN: Randomized controlled study. SETTING: Single community-based hospital. PARTICIPANTS: 109 patients (52 in experimental group, 57 in control group) with COVID-19 were recruited from May 27 to September 17, 2021. INTERVENTIONS: A psychological rehabilitation program that consists of education, craft, and physical activity. The activity program was provided by a multidisciplinary rehabilitation team of doctors, nurses, occupational therapists, and physical therapists. The purpose of the education was to provide accurate information about COVID-19, and craft and physical activity were for improving physical health, occupational balance, participation in activities, and reducing boredom. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was degree of anxiety assessed using the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS). Secondary outcomes were severity of depression, and quality of sleep assessed using the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Visual Analysis Scale (VAS), and the Korean version of the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI-K). RESULTS: Isolated patients complained of anxiety, depression, and insomnia the most in the early stages of hospitalization and isolation. In addition, the psychological rehabilitation program significantly improved mental health scale, including scores of SAS (F = 12.46, p = .001), SDS (F = 6.76, p = .01), and ISI-K (F = 4.41, p = .04). CONCLUSIONS: The psychological rehabilitation program is effective for improving anxiety, depression, and quality of sleep for isolated patients with COVID-19.

Factors associated with the mental health status of isolated COVID-19 patients in Korea.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has a substantial impact on the physical and mental health status of patients with COVID-19. This study's objective was to evaluate the factors associated with mental health in patients isolated with COVID-19. METHODS: It is a retrospective, cross-sectional study. One hundred and two patients discharged from COVID-19 hospitalization in Korea were analyzed. The primary outcome was the correlation between psychological problems such as anxiety, depression, and fear of stigma and physical symptoms such as respiratory symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms, headache, and fever. Mental and physical symptoms were ascertained using closed and multiple-choice questions. The secondary outcome was the correlation between mental issues, demographic factors, and disease severity. Hypoxia and the need for oxygen therapy, a need for remdesivir antiviral treatment, and indications of pneumonia progression on chest x-ray were confirmed through a review of medical records and used to measure disease severity. RESULTS: Patients with COVID-19 indicated feelings of depression (48.1%), anxiety (49.1%), and fear of stigma (60.45%), and some continued to experience physical symptoms even after discharge. Logistic regression revealed that gastrointestinal symptoms positively correlated with depression (p < .05) and headache positively correlated with fear of stigma (p < .05), while the other factors were not statistically significant (p > .05). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that psychological symptoms persisted even after discharge. Gastrointestinal symptoms and headache were influential factors in predicting depression and fear of stigma. Based on this, dedicated COVID-19 hospitals should provide mental health support and preventive management.

Effect of Communication and Education within the Rehabilitation Team: Therapists' and Nurses' Views.

BACKGROUND: To improve the rehabilitation team's awareness of patient mobility and participation by enhancing communication between therapists and nurses and conducting patient education. METHODS: This study used a non-equivalent control group with a non-synchronized design. To facilitate communication between therapists and nurses, we used a manual for mobility management to improve the sharing of information on the functional status of patients. We also implemented patient education to improve their awareness of mobility and participation. Finally, we conducted newly devised surveys related to patient functional status and awareness that were applied by therapists and nurses. RESULTS: The nurses reported significantly lower functional levels of patients compared to those assessed by therapists. After the intervention, the kappa values representing the concordance between therapists and nurses improved to almost perfect agreement for transfer ability (κ=0.836), mobility (κ=0.664), and toileting (κ=1.000). We also observed a statistically significant increase in questionnaire scores with respect to nurses' awareness (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Improving communication among the rehabilitation team, including nurses through the use of a continuous education program, was effective in promoting the mobility and functional level of patients in the inpatient ward.