AUTHOR=Rico-Blazquez Milagros , Esteban-Sepúlveda Silvia , Sánchez-Ruano Raquel , Aritztegui-Echenique Ana María , Artigues-Barbera Eva María , Brito-Brito Pedro Ruymán , Casado-Ramirez Elvira , Cidoncha-Moreno María Ángeles , Fabregat-Julve María Inmaculada , Feria-Raposo Isabel , Hernandez-Pascual Montserrat , Lozano-Hernández Cristina , Moreno-Casbas María Teresa , Otones-Reyes Pedro , Palmar-Santos Ana María , Pedraz-Marcos Azucena , Romero-Rodriguez Esperanza María , Solé-Agustí María Cristina , Taltavull-Aparicio Joana María , Vidal-Thomas María Clara , Gonzalez-Chorda Víctor Manuel , Cuidamos+75 Group , Milagros Rico , Silvia Esteban , Teresa Moreno , Eva Abad , Ana Ariztegui , Eva Artigues , Almudena Avendaño , Clara Bernabeu , Joan Blanco , Mireia Boixadera , Antonio Cabeza , Candela Cameselle , Elvira Casado , M Ángeles Cidoncha , Consuelo Company , Elisa Belén Cortes , Aitziber Etxebarria , Inmaculada Fabregat , Isabel Feria , Roser Fernández , José Galán M , Marta García , Iraida Gimeno , Víctor M González , Montserrat Hernandez , Eva Izaguirre , Yolanda López , Antonio Losada , Cristina Lozano , Ángel Martín , Susana Martín , Marta Más , Ana Mateo , Jerónima Miralles , Rosa Moreno Maribel Noel , Cristina Oter , Pedro Otones , Jorge Rafael Padilla , Ana M Palmar , Monica Pastor , Azucena Pedraz , Marta Pisà , Gloria Reina , Manuel Rich , Raquel Sánchez , Esperanza M Romero , Pedro Ruymán , Carmen M Sarabia , María Solé , Joana Maria Taltavull , Sergio Vicente , Clara Vidal TITLE=Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the self-care and health condition of the older adults. CUIDAMOS+75. A mixed methods study protocol JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health VOLUME=12 YEAR=2024 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1389641 DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2024.1389641 ISSN=2296-2565 ABSTRACT=Aims

To assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health condition of people ≥75 years of age and on their family caregivers in Spain.

Design

Multicentric, mixed method concurrent study.

Methods

This work, which will be conducted within the primary care setting in 11 administrative regions of Spain, will include three coordinated studies with different methodologies. The first is a population-based cohort study that will use real-life data to analyze the rates and evolution of health needs, care provision, and services utilization before, during, and after the pandemic. The second is a prospective cohort study with 18 months of follow-up that will evaluate the impact of COVID-19 disease on mortality, frailty, functional and cognitive capacity, and quality of life of the participants. Finally, the third will be a qualitative study with a critical social approach to understand and interpret the social, political, and economic dimensions associated with the use of health services during the pandemic. We have followed the SPIRIT Checklist to address trial protocol and related documents. This research is being funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III since 2021 and was approved by its ethics committee (June 2022).

Discussion

The study findings will reveal the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the older adults and their caregivers. This information will serve policymakers to adapt health policies to the needs of this population in situations of maximum stress, such as that produced by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Trial Registration

Identifier: NCT05249868 [ClinicalTrials.gov].