Happiness, Hope, and Adherence to Treatment Regimen Among Iranian Older Adults with Chronic Diseases During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severity and mortality have been found to be directly associated with age, chronic diseases, and immune system deficiency. Therefore, older adults suffering from chronic diseases are at a higher risk of the serious complications of COVID-19 and receive less social support, compared to younger age groups, which usually results from complicated treatment regimens. Moreover, the increase in age is accompanied by changes in the quality of psychological well-being. Considering this group’s higher vulnerability, it is essential to identify the factors related to their psychological well-being, such as happiness and hope.

Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the relationships between happiness and hope with adherence to the treatment regimen among older adults with chronic diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

This descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 216 older adults over 55 years of age who suffered from chronic diseases in comprehensive centers for the elderly. The data were collected using validated instruments, such as the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale, Oxford Happiness Questionnaire, and Herth Hope Index. Then, the data were entered into SPSS software (version 24) and were analyzed using descriptive statistics, dispersion indices, and regression.

The mean age of the study participants was 70.64 ± 10.56 years. The mean scores of adherence to treatment, hope, and happiness were 65.72 ± 7.1, 73.91 ± 29.3, and 47.74 ± 34.10, respectively. Based on the results, good adherence to treatment was observed in 128 (59.3%) participants. The results revealed no significant relationship between the mean scores of hope and adherence to the treatment regimen (b = 0.037, P = 0.222). However, a significant relationship was observed between the mean scores of happiness and adherence to the treatment regimen (b = 0.036, P = 0.001).

Interventions aiming at increasing such patients’ happiness levels might be effective in their health-related behaviors, including adherence to treatment regimens, improvement of the disease process, and enhancement of quality of life.