Prevalence of COVID-19 anxiety, geriatric anxiety, and related factors among the elderly in Quchan, Iran during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Anxiety is a prevalent mental disorder among the elderly, leading to discomfort, disability, increased expenses, reduced quality of life, and dysfunction. Consequently, this study was conducted to determine the prevalence of COVID-19 anxiety and geriatric anxiety, along with the factors influencing anxiety, in the elderly population served by urban healthcare centres in Quchan. METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved 650 elderly individuals aged 60-95 years. The participants were selected using a two-stage cluster sampling method. Data were collected through three questionnaires: the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI), the Corona Disease Anxiety Scale (CDAS), and a questionnaire on factors contributing to anxiety. Data analysis was performed using simple and multiple regression with IBM SPSS 24. RESULTS: The prevalence of geriatric anxiety among the elderly was 40.3%, while the prevalence of COVID-19 anxiety (moderate and severe) was 22.8%. Significant relationships were observed between geriatric anxiety and substance abuse, stressful life events, comorbidities, COVID-19 anxiety, financial support, loneliness, walking habits, and sleep patterns (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: COVID-19 anxiety and geriatric anxiety are prevalent concerns among the elderly. Factors like substance abuse, stressful life events, COVID-19-related anxiety, comorbidity, living alone, lack of financial support, and poor walking and sleeping habits, which affect anxiety in the elderly, it is essential to address these factors in life planning and provide services through relevant organisations, healthcare teams, and initiatives by the elderly themselves.

Effects of Face-To-Face and Online Training on Self-Care of Middle-Aged and Elderly People with Type 2 Diabetes: A Comparative Study.

BACKGROUND: Self-care training is one of the strategies used to control diabetes. There is some ambiguity about the appropriate method for educating middle-aged and older adults about self-care. AIM: This study aimed to compare the effects of face-to-face and online training on self-care levels in middle-aged and older adults with type 2 diabetes. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In a randomised clinical trial, 84 middle-aged and older adults with type 2 diabetes who had been referred to the Diabetes Clinic of Esfarayen in Iran, were evaluated. Patients who meet the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned into two groups. Diabetes self-care education (DSCE) was provided using a face-to-face training method in one group and using online training method in the other group. The summary of diabetes self-care activities (SDSCA) questionnaire was completed at baseline and 1 month after training. RESULTS: The mean and standard deviation of self-care scores before and 1 month after training were 43.16 ± 14.94 and 65.76 ± 10.65 in the face-to-face training group, and 37 ± 10.75 and 56.82 ± 12.06 in the online training group, respectively. The differences in the self-care scores were significant both before and after the intervention in the two groups (p < 0.05). Although the difference was greater in the face-to-face training group than in the online training group, it was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Both face-to-face and online training had a similar effect on the self-care levels in middle-aged and older adults with type 2 diabetes. Therefore, both training methods could be used as effective techniques to meet the needs and educational requirements of middle-aged and older adults with type 2 diabetes.

Effect of Oral Health Care Program on Oral Health Status of Elderly People Living in Nursing Homes: a Quasi-experimental Study.

BACKGROUND: Oral health of elderly people plays a major role in their overall health and quality of life, and is an integral part of personal care. AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of implementing the oral health care program (OHCP) on oral health status of elderly people resident in nursing homes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This quasi-experimental study was carried out using a pretest-posttest design on 101 elderly people (46 in the intervention group and 55 in the control group) resident in two randomly selected nursing homes in Mashhad, Iran. In the intervention group, the OHCP was carried out by caregivers for 8 weeks. The control group received routine care. Using the oral health assessment tool, the oral health status of elderly people was assessed in both groups at three times; onset of the study, 4th, and 8th week after the start of the study. RESULTS: The oral health status of the elderly people in both groups was not statistically significantly different at baseline, but it changed significantly at the 4th, and 8th weeks (p<.001). CONCLUSION: The implementation of the OHCP for elderly people resident in nursing homes may improve their oral health status after 4 weeks. It is recommended that OHCP be included in care plans of all nursing homes to improve the elderly people's oral health status.

Causes of Incivility in Iranian Nursing Students: A Qualitative Study.

BACKGROUND: Incivility among nursing students is a common academic problem. Knowing the causes of students' incivility will enable the faculty members and academic institutions to select correct strategies to deal with this problem. This study was conducted to explore the causes of incivility among nursing students from both educators' and students' points of view. METHODS: gThis qualitative content analysis study was applied in order to explore experiences and insights of 17 nursing lecturers and 9 nursing students who were selected through purposeful sampling and interviewed on the causes of incivility. Participants were selected among students and lecturers of nursing schools in Khorasan Razavi. The inclusion criteria for the students were having passed one educational term and for the lecturers having one year experience of teaching respectively. Data gathering was done using deep semi-structured interviews starting from March 2014 to March 2015. RESULTS: Three main categories extracted from the data were student related factors, teacher related factors, and organizational factors. Non-educational engagement, attracting attentions, lack of motivation, students' personality, and lack of experience were the subcategories of student related factors. Subcategories of teacher related factors included lack of skills, teachers' personal qualities, lack of experience, and incivility of teachers. Finally, the subcategories of organizational factors included no evaluation system for teachers and lack of understanding the organizational rules and regulations. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicated that factors related to students, teachers, and organization may lead to nursing students' incivility and clarified its dimensions. In order to develop a civil environment in nursing college, managers and educators' awareness should be promoted via various ways such as workshops.

A study of incivility in the Iranian nursing training system based on educators and students' experiences: a quantitative content analysis.

BACKGROUND: It is absolutely essential to know the negative impacts incivility in students and educators may have on the creation of a suitable teaching-learning environment. Better education of to-be nurses would improve their service to patients and society in the future. There has been no research in Iran so far on this particular case. This study examines the experiences of uncivil or disrespectful behavior from the standpoint of educators and students. METHODOLOGY & METHODS: A quantitative content analysis was carried out to study manuscripts presented in the form of open questionnaires. To this end, data produced from detailed answers from 640 students and educators were inputted into the computer and line-by-line and sentence-by-sentence coding was done. After that, implied codes were added, the categories were revealed, and finally counting frequency of code in categories was carried out. RESULTS: The most important categories that students considered uncivil behavior were waste of class time, distraction, incompetence in managing the class, discrimination, bad assessment, insult and threat on behalf of the educators. In contrast to their view, what the educators thought of as disrespectful included class disorder, humiliation of other students, irregular attendance of classes, bad sitting postures, non-observance of Islamic standards, and coming unprepared to the class by students. CONCLUSION: From the viewpoint of students and educators, incivility is present towards one another in the academic environment. This study determines the most important forms of the same from their stand point. Since disrespectful and threatening behavior has a significant impact on learning environment, we highly recommend a thorough examination to be carried out in future studies on the origin and the managing strategies of such behaviors.