JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Especially among older adults, the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic poses a challenge to day-to-day functioning and emotional and physical health.

Objective:

This study aimed to analyze gender differences in state anxiety, daily functional self-actualization, and functional cognition and relationships among those factors in older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.

Methods:

We collected online data from a sample of 204 people (102 men and 102 women) aged 60 years and older. In addition to a demographic questionnaire, we used the State-Trait Personality Inventory to assess state anxiety, Daily Functional Actualization questionnaire to evaluate daily functional self-actualization, and Daily Living Questionnaire to measure functional cognition.

Results:

Significant gender differences were found for state anxiety, t202=−2.36, P=.02; daily functional self-actualization, t202=2.15, P=.03; and the functional cognition components: complex tasks, Z=−3.07, P=.002; cognitive symptoms that might be interfering, Z=−2.15, P=.028; executive functions, Z=−2.21, P=.024; and executive function monitoring, Z=−2.21, P=.027. Significant medium correlations were found between both state anxiety level and daily functional self-actualization (r=−.62, P<.001) and functional cognition (r=.37-.40, P<.001). Daily functional self-actualization predicted 43% of the variance of state anxiety level, F1,202=155.73, P<.0001.

Conclusions:

In older adults, anxiety is associated with cognitive decline, which may harm daily functional abilities and lead to social isolation, loneliness, and decreased well-being. Self-awareness and knowledge of gender differences and relationships between common available resources of daily functional self-actualization and functional cognition with anxiety may be strengthening factors in crisis periods such as the COVID-19 pandemic.