Abstract

Purpose: The aim of the study is to examine the association between the use of complementary treatment and COVID-19 perception of elderly residents of nursing homes.

Method: The descriptive and correlational research was conducted with 108 elderly individuals living in a nursing home in Istanbul between August and October 2022. Research data were collected using the “Participant Information Form”, “Attitude Scale Towards Using Complementary Therapies (ASTUCT)” and “ COVID-19 Perception Scale”.

Results: The total mean score of the participants’ ASTUCT was found to be 18.98±8.55. The mean score of the COVID-19 Perception Scale was determined as 26.72±6.13, and the mean scores of the sub-dimensions of “Danger” and “Infectiousness” were determined as 11.30±3.29 and 15.41±3.23, respectively. A statistically significant positive correlation was found between the mean score of the Attitude Towards Using Complementary Treatment Scale and the mean scores of the COVID-19 Perception Scale and the sub-dimensions of the COVID-19 Perception Scale “Danger”, “Contagiousness”. It was determined that the perception of COVID-19 had a statistically significant (F=121.67; p=000) positive effect (β=0.731) in predicting the attitudes of the participants towards using complementary treatments and the perception of COVID-19 explained approximately 53% of the change (ΔR2=0.530) in the attitudes towards using complementary therapies.

Conclusion: Attitudes of elderly individuals towards using complementary treatments are moderate, while perceptions of COVID-19 are high, and it affect their attitudes towards using complementary treatments.