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Background The COVID‐19 pandemic has adversely affected the physical and mental health of individuals. The elderly are a special group that is affected by this condition. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the COVID‐19 pandemic on older adults in terms of disability, state–trait anxiety and life satisfaction. Methods The population of this cross‐sectional study consisted of individuals aged 65 and over who presented to a family health centre in Samsun a province of Turkey on the Black Sea coast (N = 3950). The study data were collected with the following five forms: Personal Information Form, Quality of Life Questionnaire, State–Trait Anxiety Inventory, Brief Disability Questionnaire and Life Satisfaction Scale. In the analysis of the study data, descriptive statistics, Student's t‐test, paired t‐test, analysis of variance, Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis were used. Results The mean age of the participants was 70.88 ± 4.818 years. There was a significant difference between the participants' pre‐ and post‐pandemic health status and quality of life levels. In the study, a significant relationship was determined between the scores obtained from the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Brief Disability Questionnaire and between the scores obtained from the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory and the variables such as income and marital status (P < 0.05). Conclusion A significant result of the study is that the older adults' perceptions of health status and quality of life were adversely affected by the pandemic. Another significant result is that disability increased the level of anxiety. The other significant result of the study is that socioeconomic status was an important determinant of anxiety.

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© Bu dergide yer alan yazı, makale, fotoğraf ve illüstrasyonların elektronik ortamlarda dahil olmak üzere kullanma ve çoğaltılma hakları Türkiye Aile Hekimleri Uzmanlık Derneği'ne aittir. Yazılı ön izin olmaksızın materyallerin tamamının ya da bir bölümünün çoğaltılması yasaktır.

Objective: The objective of the research was to examine and evaluate rational drug uses of patients over 65 years of age referring to Primary Care Center. Methods: A questionnaire on the drug usage habits of elder patients prepared by making literature scanning and taking expert view was applied in the study to the participants accepting to join the study among patients over 65 years of age applying to Family Health Center. Results: A total of 291 patients including 127 males (43.6%) and 164 females (56.4%) over 65 years of age were included in the study. Mean age of the participants was found 72.76. Leftover drug keeping ratio of the participants at home was found as 53.3% (n=155). When unprescribed drug usage conditions of the participants were questioned, 60.8% (n=177) stated that they didn't use unprescribed drugs. Conclusions: Polypharmacy is an important health problem for elder individuals with the lengthening of average duration of life and increase in the prevalence of chronic diseases. Drug use for a wrong time and dose may cause conditions such as the lack of the effect which should be provided by the drugs, or occur more than expected or unexpected drug-nutrient interactions. Primary care physicians have an important role in disease and health phases of elder patients. Keywords: Aging, Drug therapy, Drug misuse, Continuous...