Page 94 - Petelin, Ana. 2021. Ed. Zdravje starostnikov / Health of the Elderly. Proceedings. Koper: University of Primorska Press.
P. 94
avje starostnikov | health of the elderly 92 The questionnaire gave us an insight into the changed behaviour of old-
er persons as the result of experiencing hygiene requirements during the COV-
ID-19 epidemic. The COVID-19 epidemic changed the behaviour of 91% of older
persons. Respondents observed changes mainly in wearing masks, maintain-
ing social distancing, disinfecting their hands, and visiting stores less frequent-
ly. Of the older persons who experienced altered behaviour, 85 % of respond-
ents reported going to the grocery store less often than before the COVID-19
epidemic, due to an increased risk of infection. To avoid more frequent visits
to the grocery stores, they buy larger quantities of products, or their relatives
make a purchase for of them instead. In stores, 98 % respondents touch on-
ly those foods that they intend to buy, as they are afraid of infection and virus
transmission. The majority (91 %) of respondents believe that it is easier to keep
their distance from other people (in the grocery store) with the wheeled shop-
ping trolley, than the shopping cart.
Table 2 shows the results of the extent to which respondents agree with
the claims that COVID-19 infection is transmitted through food or through
its packaging, using the Likert rating scale (1 – I do not agree at all, 5 – I total-
ly agree). The results show that majority of respondents are of the opinion that
COVID-19 infection spreads with food packaging, but not with the food.
Table 2: Evaluation of COVID-19 disease transmission claims
1 – I do not 2 3 4 5 - I totally
agree at all (n) (n) (n) agree
(n)
(n)
COVID-19 spreads 7 3 26 8 14
with food packaging
COVID-19 spreads 17 11 19 5 6
with food
Legend: n – number of respondents
One-third of respondents do not carry a shopping bag into the kitchen
and more than one-third (32 %) of all respondents disinfect it, because in this
way, they believe that they protect themselves from COVID-19 infection.
We were interested in how and in what proportion of older persons’ hand
hygiene changed (Table 3). We observed a significant interaction between fear
of infection and increased hand hygiene. Older persons are aware of the impor-
tance of hand hygiene in preventing the disease, but still, more than one-third
of respondents (38 %) are not taught about the correct order of hand washing
and disinfection.
er persons as the result of experiencing hygiene requirements during the COV-
ID-19 epidemic. The COVID-19 epidemic changed the behaviour of 91% of older
persons. Respondents observed changes mainly in wearing masks, maintain-
ing social distancing, disinfecting their hands, and visiting stores less frequent-
ly. Of the older persons who experienced altered behaviour, 85 % of respond-
ents reported going to the grocery store less often than before the COVID-19
epidemic, due to an increased risk of infection. To avoid more frequent visits
to the grocery stores, they buy larger quantities of products, or their relatives
make a purchase for of them instead. In stores, 98 % respondents touch on-
ly those foods that they intend to buy, as they are afraid of infection and virus
transmission. The majority (91 %) of respondents believe that it is easier to keep
their distance from other people (in the grocery store) with the wheeled shop-
ping trolley, than the shopping cart.
Table 2 shows the results of the extent to which respondents agree with
the claims that COVID-19 infection is transmitted through food or through
its packaging, using the Likert rating scale (1 – I do not agree at all, 5 – I total-
ly agree). The results show that majority of respondents are of the opinion that
COVID-19 infection spreads with food packaging, but not with the food.
Table 2: Evaluation of COVID-19 disease transmission claims
1 – I do not 2 3 4 5 - I totally
agree at all (n) (n) (n) agree
(n)
(n)
COVID-19 spreads 7 3 26 8 14
with food packaging
COVID-19 spreads 17 11 19 5 6
with food
Legend: n – number of respondents
One-third of respondents do not carry a shopping bag into the kitchen
and more than one-third (32 %) of all respondents disinfect it, because in this
way, they believe that they protect themselves from COVID-19 infection.
We were interested in how and in what proportion of older persons’ hand
hygiene changed (Table 3). We observed a significant interaction between fear
of infection and increased hand hygiene. Older persons are aware of the impor-
tance of hand hygiene in preventing the disease, but still, more than one-third
of respondents (38 %) are not taught about the correct order of hand washing
and disinfection.
