Impact of Coronavirus Pandemic among Elderly with Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Lipa City, Batangas Philippines

Being a family of viruses that cause respiratory infections, elderly people suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis are at high risk of contracting the coronavirus as it is a disease which affects the lungs. It is upon this background that the researcher embarked on determining the Impact of Coronavirus Pandemic among Elderly with Pulmonary Tuberculosis (PTB) in Lipa City, Batangas, Philippines. A sample of 120 elderly people (60-90years) with pulmonary tuberculosis in Lipa City was obtained using multi-stage sampling technique. The instrument for data collection was a self-developed and structure questionnaire and an interview guide. Descriptive analysis (via use of SPSS software) was employed in analyzing the data collected from the study respondents. Data generated suggests physical health attributes such as consistent fever and coughing were sometimes experienced by a greater proportion of the respondents under study. More also, isolation of self from people by staying at home was the social attribute of most of the respondents with a 2.97 means score. Compliance to Directly Observed Therapy was at a high rate (100%) as drug were mostly taken by themselves; being in a very mutual relationship with the healthcare workers. The drugs taken by theses respondents included ethambutol, rifampin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide and streptomycin. Nevertheless, the more than half of the respondents (54.2%) experienced recurrence of PTB one year after receiving their first treatment of PTB. Notwithstanding, it is key for the management of health care facilities to organize, coordinate and facilitate health education on PTB among patients as well as their families.

Keywords –Coronavirus, Elderly, Impact, Pandemic, Pulmonary Tuberculosis.