Social Workers Response to Domestic Violence and Abuse during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The rapid global spread of COVID-19 has put increased pressure on health and social service providers, including social workers who continued front line practice throughout the pandemic, engaging with some of the most vulnerable in society often experiencing multiple adversities alongside domestic violence and abuse (DVA). Movement restrictions and stay-at-home orders introduced to slow the spread of the virus, paradoxically leave these families at even greater risk from those within the home. Utilising a survey methodology combining both open- and closed-ended questions, this study captured a picture of social work practice in Ireland with families experiencing DVA during the early waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings highlight both the changes and challenges in work practices and procedures that limit social work assessment and quality contact with families, changes to the help-seeking behaviours from victims/survivors, as well as emerging innovative practice responses with enhanced use of technology. Implications for practice include an increased awareness of the risk and prevalence of DVA accelerated by the pandemic. Conclusions assert that social work assessment and intervention with families experiencing DVA must remain adaptive to the changing COVID-19 context and continue to develop innovative practice approaches.

TREATMENT SEEKING BEHAVIOUR AND TRIGGERS AMONG PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC ILLNESSES DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC: A QUALITATIVE STUDY

Background: Public health strategies, many of which required restricting movement of people, such as lock-downs and social-distancing measures had to be resorted to world-wide, to reduce the incidence and transmission of COVID-19, leading to a decline in healthcare utilization by non-COVI-19 patients, which is detrimental to people suffering from chronic-illnesses. This study aimed to assess treatment-seeking behavior among patients with chronic illnesses during the pandemic and the new normal. Methods: This qualitative study involved in-depth interviews with sixteen patients aged 30 -55 years with chronic diseases. Three focus group sessions were also held. The indepth interviews and focus group discussions were conducted until saturation point was achieved. Purposive sampling was used, and data were analyzed thematically. The study centers were two public hospitals and one general practitioner setting in Sri Lanka. Findings: Three main themes were identified. Namely, change of treatment seeking behaviour, difficulties in healthcare access and adherence and high out of pocket expenditure. Majority had diabetes, hypertension or both. Trigger factors for changing the healthcare setting during the pandemic were long waiting times, lack of staff to conduct the clinic, lack of drugs and investigations, and fear and anxiety associated with the pandemic. Treatment access and adherence were found difficult due to lack of high expenditure on transportation, prolonged waiting times, difficulties in buying the drugs, and spending on laboratory investigations. The reasons for high cut-off pocket expenditures were mostly for transportation, drugs, consultations and investigation. Some mentioned that due to difficulties in obtaining the treatment, they resort to adopting a healthy lifestyle, taking indigenous medication, and taking the drugs in a different frequency and regime. Very few agreed that they received the drugs via the postal service but stated that this was not regular, and that not all the drugs were available. Conclusion: Healthcare system-related and patient-related factors lead people to change their treatment-seeking behavior. Any health intervention to promote people's treatment-seeking behavior and to continue acess and adherence, especially for a chronic illness, should consider these complex trigger factors of individual needs, goals, and issues.

"Hello, can you hear me?": Narratives of online mental health counselling among Filipino adults during the pandemic

Filipinos are often reluctant to seek professional mental health (MH) help. However, literature reveals that online counselling is preferable to face‐to‐face (F2F) MH services, with the pandemic possibly magnifying technology's anonymity and disinhibiting benefits. To further explore facilitators of online MH help‐seeking, this study tapped into the lived stories of Filipino adults who experienced at least one counselling session from March 2020 to March 2022. Among 83 screened respondents, 11 semistructured interviews were transcribed and analysed following Crossley's (2000) method. Findings reveal an overarching online MH counselling narrative composed of three phases and their respective events: (a) Precounselling (Resiliency Narrative versus MH Awareness, Turning Point, and Linking versus Searching);(b) Counselling (Two‐way Introduction, Unloading and Untangling, and Decision to Maintain or Terminate);and (c) Postcounselling (Relapse and Journey towards Growth and Advocacy). Three all‐encompassing facilitators were embedded throughout the process: Autonomy, Financial Capability, and MH Institutions. Notably, participants attributed their MH help‐seeking to autonomy, despite culture and stigma, because of enabling environments that entail heightened MH literacy, positive past experiences with professional MH help, social support and encouragement, and a sense of shared reality. Benefits unique to online counselling were also apparent among participants' narratives, including alleviating geographical boundaries and added financial and personal pressures. Overall, findings posit that Filipino adults consider online counselling as a preferable alternative to F2F counselling, thus necessitating further development and institutional support. [ FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of covid-19 on women's health in nepal

COVID-19 has significantly impacted the world and Nepal is no exception. The pandemic has caused a reduction in health service delivery, especially for women's health conditions, resulting in an increase in challenges for an already vulnerable group. Maternity care, reproductive health services, preventive interventions, nutritional advice and mental health care are not being addressed and with an increase in domestic violence, the health and wellbeing of women in Nepal is precarious and needs to be addressed immediately. Copyright © 2020, Kathmandu University. All rights reserved.

Help-seeking behaviors for mental health problems during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the nature of communication has changed dramatically owing to lockdowns and the need for social distancing with ongoing outbreaks. As a result, patient's help-seeking behavior for mental health may have changed. We summarized the research on help-seeking behavior for mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic and investigated changes that have occurred. METHODS: This study was a systematic review. We searched four literature databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CHINAHL, and PsycINFO. We included the following in the review: 1) studies conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, and 2) studies that dealt with help-seeking behavior for mental health. Eligible studies were summarized according to characteristics such as research participants and study type. RESULTS: In total, 41 studies (38 observational studies 2 qualitative studies and 1 randomized trial) were eligible for the review. Most studies reported delays, decreases, or deficits in help-seeking behavior. The study participants included medical professionals, local residents, hospitals, children and adolescents, online participants, pregnant women, people who experienced intimate partner violence, those with eating disorders, and other individuals. LIMITATIONS: Findings from observational studies may have bias as confounder. Meta-analysis could not be performed, because the studies had variations of design. CONCLUSION: During the COVID-19 pandemic, delay in seeking help from mental health services may have resulted in lost opportunities to link patients with appropriate treatment and care. The COVID-19 pandemic is ongoing as of 2022. Therefore, it is important to examine the impact of the pandemic on mental health in future research.

Covid-19 Pandemic: Help-seeking for Smoking Cessation among Adult Smokers in Malaysia during the Full Movement Control Order (FMCO)

INTRODUCTION: In Malaysia, death due to tobacco smoking habits recorded as more than 23 thousand yearly. Hence smoking cessation should be emphasized to reduce the annual mortality and morbidity. The purpose of this study is to identify the help-seeking behavior in smoking cessation among adult smokers and to determine its predictive factors during the Full Movement Control Order (FMCO) in Malaysia. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Data were collected from cross-sectional surveys of Malaysian adult smokers. The questionnaire was distributed online through the official social media account of the Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOHM) which commenced from 31st May 2021 in conjunction with the World No Tobacco Day. A multivariate binomial logistic regression was employed to analyze the relationship model between the predictors with the helpseeking for smoking cessation. RESULT: Out of 2,545 Malaysian adult smokers who have responded, 2,303 were males (90.5% of respondents) with mean age(sd) of 34.82(8.11) years (18 to 77 years). Slightly half (n=1353, 53%) have reported seeking help for smoking cessation and (n=1468, 57.7%) reported being unaware of the quitline services. Factors, such as quit smoking attempt (OR;1.844, 95% CI = 1.384-2.458), Covid-19 pandemic situation (OR;1.841, 95% CI=1.553-2.183), being married (OR: 1.279, 95% CI = 1.04- 1.57), unaware about quitline services (OR;0.660, 95% CI = 0.557-0.781), non-alcohol drinkers (OR;0.658, 95% CI=0.473-0.916) significantly predicted the behaviour of helpseeking for smoking cessation. CONCLUSION: The results of this study would potentially support public health efforts in Malaysia in further enhancing health promotion and education programs as well as further strengthen the policy towards quit smoking issues. [ FROM AUTHOR]

Bariatric surgeons' experiences of working in the first year of the pandemic

Background: The first year of the Covid-19 pandemic saw drastic changes to bariatric surgical practice, including postponement of procedures, altered patient care and impacting on the role of bariatric surgeons. The consequences of this both personally and professionally amongst bariatric surgeons has not as yet been explored. Aim(s): The aim of this research was to understand bariatric surgeons' perspectives of working during the first year of the pandemic to explore the self-reported personal and professional impact. Method(s): Using a retrospective, two phased, study design with global participants recruited from closed, bariatric surgical units. The first phase used a qualitative thematic analytic framework to identify salient areas of importance to surgeons. Themes informed the construction of an on-line, confidential survey to test the potential generalizability of the interview findings with a larger representative population from the global bariatric surgical community. Finding(s): Findings of the study revealed that the first year of the pandemic had a detrimental effect on bariatric surgeons both personally and professionally globally. Conclusion(s): This study has identified the need to build resilience of bariatric surgeons so that the practice of self-care and the encouragement of help-seeking behaviors can potentially be normalized, which will in turn increase levels of mental health and wellbeing. Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Obesity Science & Practice published by World Obesity and The Obesity Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Utilization of Antibiotics in Patients with Covid-19

BACKGROUND: Antibiotic utilization reviews are important tool to employ in the assessment of health care practices. We aim to assess the prescription pattern of antibiotics among the covid-19 patients and influence of vaccination in pandemic era. OBJECTIVE The core objective of the study to evaluate the prescription pattern of antibiotics in participants with covid-19, to assess vaccination status among the study participants, to assess the treatment seeking behaviour of the participants and to assess the socio-demographic data of participants. METHODOLOGY: Overall, 505 subjects were matriculate in the study. The study was a prospective observational study conducted by the means of online survey provided in 3 language. RESULT(S): The participants were predominantly under the age group of 19-29 (45%) and females (53.5%) were outnumbered than males among the respondents. Among the participants (65.1%) were prescribed with antibiotics, majority of the patients were treated with the antibiotic azithromycin (43.8%). The vaccination status among the patients shows that 51.3 % were vaccinated, majority of them had first dose of vaccine (68%), and more were vaccinated with covishield 76.4%. Among the patients 57.9% were presented side effects. 15.4% was experienced with pain at the injection site. CONCLUSION(S): The study also reveals that antibiotics are beneficial for treating covid-19 patients. In this study, Azithromycin have been widely used and prescribed for treating the covid-19 patients. It can be concluded that azithromycin has the capability to fight against the novel corona virus being a life saver amidst the pandemic. Copyright © 2022, Anka Publishers. All rights reserved.

"Protect, test, vaccinate": dealing with Covid-19 in outpatient psychiatric care

Introduction: Curbing the spread of the coronavirus and stabilizing the overall psychosocial situation requires compliance with preventive measures: "Protect, test, vaccinate". Objective(s): Population groups with psychosocial problems which are difficult to reach and have a high risk of infection, morbidity and mortality as well as unfavorable help-seeking behavior and generally lower vaccination rates need support. Method(s): In the outpatient psychiatric facilities of the Psychosocial Services in Vienna (PSD-Wien), specific concepts to support "protect, test, vaccinate" were implemented to protect patients and employees. Information about the benefits and risks of vaccination, relieving fears and support in registering and attending vaccination appointments were of special significance. Result(s): Analyzes of selected data from 1,319 patients at PSD-Wien show (period: 1st half of 2021) that these measures made it possible to achieve a significantly higher vaccination willingness in people with severe mental illnesses (84 %) than in the general Austrian population (based on the date of examination, currently approximately 60 %). The same applies to vaccination rates: at least 47 % have received a partial vaccination, of which about half have already received both partial vaccinations. Conclusion(s): High vaccination willingness and rates as well as the necessary protection (wearing masks, keeping distance, complying with hygiene rules) and regular testing must not be a phenomenon of privileged population groups. Psychosocial support is needed so that the trilogy "Protect, test, vaccinate" becomes possible for everyone, including people with severe mental illnesses. Social psychiatry is not just about mental health, but also about physical health care and prevention.

Nurse burnout: how to cope and when to seek help: An RCN Nurse of the Year describes how work pressures and a traumatic event led her to prioritise her well-being

In April 2022, I was a paediatric NHS nurse and in a bad place emotionally. I was extremely anxious, felt unable to cope and was having nightmares. I was also experiencing what I now know are flashbacks. A series of traumatic events had led me to this point, then an incident with a young patient tipped me over the edge and I realised I needed help. [ FROM AUTHOR]

Internet Usage by Young Kids in India

India is one of the countries with the highest number of kids under the age of 18 years. This paper adds value in understanding the usage in the current covid scenario. The research objectives for the current study are to examine how young kids in India use their time on internet for varied purposes, to study how young kids find the websites that are of interest to them and to examine how young kids obtain information about sensitive issues. A cross-sectional web survey was conducted to examine the various aspects of the use of the Internet and traditional media (television/radio/magazines/newspapers/billboards) among kids in India. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire. The sampling method used in the study was purposive sample (522 kids). Internet emerged as the first choice of media for kids for all the nine selected activities that include homework, shopping, restaurant/food-ordering, travel and tour, information search, health related information, weather forecast, entertainment, and news/current events. Girl respondents as compared to boys have consumed Internet at a higher rate for learning about the fashion (trends) and health related issues such as seeking preventative health care and specific information about medical issues.

"What happens in this house, does not stay in this house:" Examining the relationship between cultural mistrust and mental health help seeking behaviors amongst African Americans

The history of African Americans within the United States is one that is deeply complex. Historical trauma both directly and/or vicariously experienced has fostered a sense of cultural mistrust amongst African Americans that have since become transgenerational and resulted in rigid attitudes, beliefs, and opinions for many. Due to these experiences, African Americans continue to be a race that is underrepresented in mental health services and treatment though they experience symptomology at the same rate as their White counterparts. The purpose of this study was to examine African Americans help seeking behaviors and levels of cultural mistrust amidst a global pandemic and heightened sociopolitical tensions across the United States. Two hundred twenty participants completed an online survey that assessed their attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help and their level of culture of mistrust. Linear regression analyses were used to analyze the data and it was founded that the older the participant, the higher levels of cultural mistrust they possessed. Additionally, participants who endorsed past and/or current therapy experiences had more favorable attitudes towards receiving treatment. Though demographic variables were held constant throughout the analysis of this study, both participant stigma and educational attainment were found to have a relationship with participants attitudes toward seeking help and cultural mistrust levels. The significance of this study was to highlight the ongoing need for the advancement of mental health services within African American communities and is one of the first to examine this phenomenon during a pandemic. Limitations, recommendations, and clinical and training implications are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Primary healthcare professionals' perspectives on patient help-seeking for lung cancer warning signs and symptoms: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer incidence and mortality worldwide. Prompt patient help-seeking for signs and symptoms suggestive of lung cancer is crucial for early referral, diagnosis, and survivorship. However, individuals with potential lung cancer symptoms tend to delay help-seeking. This qualitative study explored perceived barriers to patient help-seeking and strategies to enhance help-seeking for lung cancer warning signs and symptoms from the perspective of primary healthcare professionals. METHODS: Semi-structured focus groups and individual interviews were conducted with 36 primary healthcare professionals. Data were collected via videoconferencing. Inductive thematic analysis was conducted. RESULTS: The following two themes were created from the data: (i) perceived barriers to patient help-seeking for signs and symptoms of concern and (ii) facilitating early patient presentation for signs and symptoms of concern. Some participants believed that the high cost of a general practitioner visit, long waiting times, and previous bad experiences with the healthcare system would deter patients from seeking help for symptoms of lung cancer. Perceived patient-related barriers to help-seeking related to the different emotions associated with a potential cancer diagnosis as well as stigma, embarrassment, and guilt felt by smokers. Sociodemographic factors such as drug use, homelessness, living in rural areas, and being male and older were also perceived to impede patient help-seeking. The negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer help-seeking also featured strongly. Participants recommended several strategies to enable patients to seek help for symptoms of concern including targeted educational campaigns focussing on symptoms (e.g., cough) rather than behaviours (e.g., smoking), accessible and free health services, and using patients' support networks. CONCLUSIONS: Patient-related and healthcare system-related barriers to help-seeking for lung cancer warning signs and symptoms include cost of healthcare, cancer fear, and various sociodemographic factors. Participants suggested that increased awareness and early patient help-seeking for symptoms of concern could be achieved through targeted patient education, national campaigns, the use of community support networks, and free and accessible targeted screening services.

Wellness and help-seeking among college students: A phenomenological study

College students face a significant risk of mental health issues that influence their academic performance, persistence, and personal safety. The COVID-19 global pandemic has heightened mental health risks for college students due to social isolation and shifts from in-person to virtual learning models. In 2019 and the beginning of 2020, 75% of college students reported experiencing moderate to high stress levels, yet only 30.2% of students indicated they used mental health services (ACHA, 2020). Researchers have identified strategies to promote positive mental health among students (Baldwin et al., 2017;Conley et al., 2013;Mahfoutz et al., 2018;Rizer et al., 2016), yet have paid little attention to the experiences, thought processes, and factors that influence how or why students choose to utilize such strategies. This phenomenological study explored the essence of the lived experiences of college students who have experienced stressors during their time as students with the goal to understand how they chose to seek help and promote their wellness. Three research questions will guide this study: (1) How do college students describe the essence of their personal wellness? (2) How do college students describe the stressors they have experienced during their undergraduate years? and (3) What guides college students' decision-making about how they support their wellness on campus?Gergen's (1985) work on social constructionism, which encourages us to consider how we know and understand the world beyond commonly held assumptions, provides the key theoretical concepts that influence this study. Three streams further inform the study of research: (1) conceptualizations of wellness, (2) college student development, and (3) wellness support. The researcher conducted individual interviews with traditional undergraduates at an institution of higher education in the Northeastern United States. students also submitted artifacts with written explanations representing their experience of wellness in response to stress. The interviews were transcribed, and several rounds of coding were conducted to identify common elements of the students' experiences. The participants' stories, experiences, and motivation offer insight into how higher education practitioners might incorporate or promote wellness strategies in ways that align with students' needs and interests. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Take a breath: A population-oriented prevention approach using mindfulness training to impact college students' sense of coherence, stress levels, and help-seeking intentions

Mental health concerns and resource utilization has greatly increased on college campuses in recent years (ACHA - NCHA, 2017, AUCCCD, 2012, Bourdon et al., 2018). Campus counseling centers are concerned about their ability to meet the sheer volume of students with severe mental health concerns though (AUCCCD, 2012). Drum and colleagues (2009) proposed that college campuses should expand their interventions to address the mental health needs for students across the distress continuum. Sense of coherence (SOC), theorized by Aaron Antonovsky (1987), is a protective factor in which students will be better equiped to handle a variety of life stressors through internal and external coping strategies. Previous research suggests that mindfulness training can increase SOC levels in diverse populations (Karlsson et al., 2000, Volanen et al., 2004). The "Take a Breath" study assessed if the online mindfulness intervention, "Headspace," can impact college students' SOC levels, perceived stress, mindfulness skills, and help-seeking intentions. Results indicate that the mindfulness skills and SOC levels influence perceived stress and help-seeking intentions. However, the "Headspace" intervention did not significantly impact the dependent variables in comparison to the control group. The COVID-19 pandemic occurred during data collectino and emphasized the importance of protective factors and mentalh health resource accessibility. Although the results did not indicate "Headspace" to have a significant influence on the variables of interest, college campuses should continue to research accessible mental health resources for students at all levels of distress in light of the recent pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

A Descriptive Study on the Treatment Seeking Behaviour of Patients with Chronic Diseases During Covid-19 Pandemic in a Tertiary Care Institute of North-eastern Region of India

India has a double disease burden of chronic infectious and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic renal diseases, etc. The Covid-19 pandemic is putting a huge pressure and a profound impact on healthcare systems worldwide. According to WHO rapid survey, 122 countries reported that NCD services are disrupted. To assess treatment seeking behavior of patients with chronic diseases during Covid-19 pandemic a cross-sectional study was conducted among 174 patients with chronic diseases by telephonic interview at NEIGRIHMS, a tertiary care institute in the capital city of the north-eastern state of Meghalaya, Shillong. Of the total patients, 33.3% did not come for regular health visits to the hospital. Characteristics like age (≥60 years), low income (≤15000 Rupee per month), education (illiteracy) and place of stay (outside local district) were significantly associated with irregular health visits of the patients. Education on preventive measures of Covid-19 and improving chronic illness care services by the primary level health institutions including availability of essential drugs may reduce the loss to follow up among patients. Telemedicine services in the primary level health care centers can be used for availability of follow-up services during emergency situations.

Munchausen by Internet and false perinatal crises

Background: In representative cases of Munchausen by internet (MBI), an individual (or "poser") goes online to falsely report or exaggerate illnesses or life crises. The principal goal, as in factitious disorder imposed on self or another, is to garner emotional satisfaction. We provide the first evidence that MBI can target a specific type of health care provider-in this case, birthing doulas. Methods: We describe 5 cases in which individuals have utilized social media platforms to report factitious perinatal illnesses and crises, including neonatal death, in real time. Current health headlines, such as those involving the COVID-19 pandemic, can be relevant to the ruses. Posers can engage in deceptions with several health care professionals concurrently or serially, and may portray multiple people ("sock puppets") at the same time. Results: MBI has consequences that can be highly disruptive. In the cases highlighted in this report, many hours of support were given to individuals who had fabricated their pregnancies, infants, and perinatal complications. The doulas experienced feelings ranging from resignation to anger and betrayal. Conclusions: Health care professionals of all types who offer services online should be vigilant to the risks of potential MBI. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

COVID-19 pandemic is associated with increased sleep disturbances and mental health symptoms but not help-seeking: a cross-sectional nation-wide study.

Objective: This study aimed firstly to describe sleep-related and mental health symptoms before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in a national-wide sample and, secondly, to verify attitudes towards help-seeking to treat these symptoms. Material and Methods: Data were collected through an online questionnaire sent through the Brazilian Sleep Association's social media. The questionnaire included sociodemographic and sleep aspects questions currently and before the pandemic period. In addition, the survey addressed current and previous anxiety, depression, and burnout symptoms. The outcome help-seeking was addressed in the questionnaire as well by a single question asked when the participant reported mental or sleep problems. Results: The study covered 6,360 participants, mean age 43.5 years (SD=14.3), 76.7% female and 63.7% with undergraduate or higher degree filled out the survey. Seventy percent of participants reported sleep disturbances and 80% reported symptoms of anxiety during the pandemic. Help-seeking behavior was found only in one third of them. Hours of sleep reduced from 7.12 to 6.2h, which can be related with the increase in 28.2% of dissatisfaction with sleep duration during the pandemic. The highest frequency of complaints related to sleep was difficulty to fall asleep three or more times a week (going from 27.6% before the pandemic to 58.9% during the pandemic; p<0.001). Moreover, it was observed that help-seeking was more prevalent in men than women, and more in younger participants than in older ones. Conclusion: There was an increase of sleep and mental self-reported problems during the pandemic, which was not followed by help-seeking.

Improvement in Quality of Life through Self-Management of Mild Symptoms during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Prospective Cohort Study.

The COVID-19 pandemic has inhibited people's help-seeking behaviors (HSBs). In particular, older people in rural communities experienced limited access to medical care, which negatively affected their quality of life (QOL). Within HSB, self-management of mild symptoms may mitigate the difficulties experienced by older people in rural communities. However, few studies have examined the relationship between self-management and QOL. Therefore, we conducted a prospective cohort study to clarify this relationship. Our participants were over 65 years of age and lived in rural communities. QOL was measured with the EuroQol 5-Dimension 5-Level (EQ-5D-5L). Demographic data and QOL were collected from participants via questionnaires in 2021 and 2022. The exposure group showed a significantly greater change in EQ-5D-5L health status index scores than the control group (p = 0.002). In addition, the exposure group scored significantly lower than the control group on the EQ-5D-5L dimension "usual activities" in 2021 and on all dimensions in 2022. Thus, self-management of mild symptoms may improve QOL among older people in rural communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Educational interventions for this population regarding self-management could improve QOL for entire communities.