THE EFFECT OF COVID-19 FEAR ON HEALTHY LIFESTYLE BEHAVIORS IN MENOPOSAL WOMEN: CASE OF SOUTHEASTERN ANATOLIA

Background
The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of Covid-19 fear on healthy lifestyle behaviors in menopausal women living in the Southeastern Anatolia region.

Material and methods
As of April and June 2021, a descriptive, cross-sectional and relationshipseeking design study was completed with 203 participants who were in the menopausal period and who were between the ages of 40 and 65 and were living in the provinces of Gaziantep, Diyarbakir, Şanliurfa, Batman, Adiyaman, Siirt, Mardin, Kilis, Şirnak in the Southeastern Anatolia region of Turkey. The data were collected using the descriptive information form prepared by the researchers, the Covid-19 Fear Scale, the Menopause Symptoms Assessment Scale and the Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors Scale. Descriptive statistical analyses, Mann Whitney U test, Kruskall Wallis H test and Spearman Correlation Analysis were used to analyze the data.

Results
The mean age of the participants was 55.7±5.6 (min: 40, max: 69) years, the highest scores in the Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors Scale were found in the sub-dimensions of spiritual development Health Problems of Civilization ISSN: 2353-6942; eISSN: 2354-0265 (23.4±3.2) and interpersonal relations (23.1±3.3). In the Menopause Symptoms Assessment Scale total and sub-dimension scores, it was determined that somatic complaints (10.4±2.6) and psychological complaints sub-dimensions (10.7±3.1) had the highest scores.

Conclusions
A statistically significant positive correlation was found between the participants' Covid19 Fear Scale scores and Menopause Symptoms Assessment Scale total and sub-dimension scores. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between Menopause Symptoms Assessment Scale and the Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors Scale and certain sub-dimensions.