Abstract

Numerous cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were recorded particularly in 185 countries—including the Philippines, as the virus is highly transmittable. Older population belongs to vulnerable and high-risk demographic for the present outbreak. With their declining cognitive ability due to age, this quantitative descriptive-correlational study meant to determine the level of understanding of COVID-19 risks among the geriatric population of Quezon Province, along with the associated coping behavior. Ethical considerations were thoroughly followed. Thirty-three (33) elderly respondents from selected parts of Quezon Province participated in this study through purposive and snowball sampling. Due to pandemic, samples were very limited. Questionnaires were provided via Google form. The study utilized percentage and weighted mean to score level of understanding of COVID-19 risk. Spearman’s Rank-Order Correlation and Chi-Square Test were also used to determine correlations of variables. This study revealed that knowledge about COVID-19 risks among the geriatrics of Quezon Province is average as per study measurements. Statistical analysis showed no significant association between their level of knowledge and their coping behavior against COVID-19, nor is their level of knowledge significantly associated with their demographics. Should these findings be sustained by further studies, it would imply that (1) having greater extent of knowledge does not improve their coping behavior, that it might be more productive to empower and educate the persons in charge of caring for the geriatrics with regards to preventing and dealing with COVID-19 infection, and that (2) efforts or programs to enhance the knowledge of geriatrics can be applied uniformly regardless of demographics.

Keywords: Coping Behavior, COVID-19, Descriptive-Correlation Study, Geriatrics, Level of Understanding, Risk Perception Theory

*This paper is a finalist in the International Research Competitions 2022, Category 2 Undergraduate

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