Running title: Protective personality factors for health

 

Protective Personality Factors for Stress in the Elderly during COVID-19 Pandemic:
A Cross-Sectional Study

 

Tatjana Kilibarda¹, Šćepan Sinanović², Saša Bubanj³, Sanja Trgovčević¹, Sunčica Ivanović¹, Suzana Milutinović¹

 

¹The Academy of Applied Preschool Teaching and Health Studies Kruševac, Department in Ćuprija, Serbia
²High Medical College of Professional Studies “Milutin Milanković”, Beograd, Serbia
³University of Niš, Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, Niš, Serbia

 

 

SUMMARY

 

 

Background/Aim. One of the anti-epidemic measures in the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 in Serbia was the mandatory complete ban on movement for people over 65 years of age. Two main stress factors affecting their health have been identified: intensive media coverage of the new disease and total physical and even social isolation of the elderly. The aim of this study was to assess the immediate impact of these anti-epidemic measures to combat the COVID-19 epidemic in Serbia on the health of people over 65 years old and to recognize protective factors for their health in the conditions of their obligatory isolation.

Methods. The cross-sectional study was conducted on a 20‰ sample of inhabitants over 65 (184 in total) in the urban part of the city of Kruševac, in the central part of Serbia, during April and May 2020.

Results. Anti-epidemic measures to combat the COVID-19 epidemic have been associated with deteriorating health in a significantly large proportion of the elderly in the sample (approximately 84%), such as unreasonable fatigue, tension, difficulties performing routine activities due to immobility, concerns, sleeping disorders, and hypertensive episodes. Gender, higher education, and material status were not related to protection and emotional well-being, but some personality factors are related to stress resilience.

Conclusion. The protective personality factors for health are the respondents’ inclination toward hope, having a purpose in life, faith, optimism, interest, as well a high appreciation of positive emotions in the respondent’s life (love, joy, enthusiasm, closeness, and belonging) and having a fulfilled emotional life.

 

Keywords: COVID-19, stress, protective personality factors for health, cross-sectional study

 

 

Corresponding author:

Tatjana Kilibarda

e-mail: tatjanakilibarda4@gmail.com