Papi Shahab, Salimi Maryam Moghadam, Behboodi Leila, Dianat Iman, Jafarabadi Mohammad Asghari, Allahverdipour Hamid
Department of Health Education and Promotion, Faculty of Health Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Prz Menopauzalny. 2022 Jun;21(2):117-123. doi: 10.5114/pm.2022.116976. Epub 2022 Jun 20.
Isolation and self-quarantine can expose individuals, particularly older people, to cognitive and physical decline. Due to a reduction in their musculoskeletal and neural flexibility, older adults are more likely to be affected by quarantine limitations. This study aimed to investigate the effect of self-quarantine on cognitive and balance performance of older women during the COVID-19 outbreak.
In a convenience sampling method, a total of 75 older adult women were recruited in this ex post facto study. The mini-mental state exam, single leg stance test, and timed up and go test were used to assess cognitive functions, static, and dynamic balance, respectively. Fall risk was measured by the Johns Hopkins assessment tool. Evaluations were performed before and after 7 months of quarantine due to the COVID-19 outbreak (November 2019 - June 2020), in which volunteers were at the lowest level of physical and social interaction.
No significant difference was observed in the mean static balance performance of the older adult women between the baseline and quarantine phases [ = 0.095, (df) = -1.69]. The dynamic balance performance [ < 0.001, (df) = 5.6] and cognitive status ( < 0.001, = -7.4) decreased and the fall rate increased [ < 0.001, (df) = 7.35] after 7 months of quarantine.
It seems that self-quarantine can cause a decline in cognitive functions and dynamic balance performance of older women. It implies that the decrease in social interactions and physical activities caused by the limitations of self-quarantine put individuals at greater risk of cognitive impairment and increase their falling rate by impairing dynamic balance.
隔离和自我隔离会使个人，尤其是老年人出现认知和身体机能衰退。由于肌肉骨骼和神经灵活性下降，老年人更容易受到隔离限制的影响。本研究旨在调查新冠疫情期间自我隔离对老年女性认知和平衡能力的影响。
在这项事后研究中，采用便利抽样法，共招募了75名老年女性。简易精神状态检查表、单腿站立测试和计时起立行走测试分别用于评估认知功能、静态和动态平衡。跌倒风险通过约翰霍普金斯评估工具进行测量。在因新冠疫情而实施隔离7个月前后（2019年11月至2020年6月）进行评估，在此期间志愿者的身体和社交互动处于最低水平。
在基线期和隔离期之间，老年女性的平均静态平衡能力未观察到显著差异[ = 0.095，(自由度) = -1.69]。隔离7个月后，动态平衡能力[ < 0.001，(自由度) = 5.6]和认知状态( < 0.001， = -7.4)下降，跌倒率上升[ < 0.001，(自由度) = 7.35]。
自我隔离似乎会导致老年女性认知功能和动态平衡能力下降。这意味着自我隔离限制导致的社交互动和身体活动减少，使个体面临更大的认知障碍风险，并通过损害动态平衡增加其跌倒率。
