Behavioral patterns of the elderly population in relation to medical care during the COVID-19 pandemic: the example of the Grodno region of the Republic of Belarus

Rationale. With age, the burden of accumulated morbidity increases, which is largely determined by behavioral factors. The COVID-19 pandemic made it possible to analyze the medical activity of the population of different countries and socio-demographic groups. Purpose of the study. Establish models of behavior of the elderly population of the Grodno region in relation to COVID-19. Methods. Based on the survey database of 1270 people aged 60 years and older living in the Grodno region (the sample is representative of the region by gender and residence), an analysis was made of respondents' answers about the previous COVID-19 disease, the influence of socio-demographic factors on the choice of behavior model in connection with the disease. Results. At least 71.26% of respondents confirm a previous covid infection during a pandemic, regardless of gender, residence, availability of work, marital status, age. The majority of respondents (36.91; 43.98%) were treated on an outpatient basis (first rank), treatment in the hospital was required for every fifth to sixth respondent from among 1270 people aged 60+ (third rank). The second most common choice of a behavior model (every fourth respondent) was not seeking medical help, as a result of which a person "got sick on his feet" or suffered a mild illness (option "I don't know" to answer the question "Did you have COVID-19"). There was a tendency for this model to prevail in men, which could be one of the reasons for men's later seeking medical help and led to the fact that men were more likely than women to receive treatment in inpatient conditions (21.3 (16.81; 26.61) % versus 15.56 (12.56; 19.11) %, p = 0.0432). Conclusion. A high prevalence of non-referral for medical care was revealed. Due to the lack of influence of residence (city-village), age, the respondent's presence/absence of work, the presence/absence of children, the state of marriage on the choice of this model of behavior, it should be emphasized its resistance to socio-demographic factors, equal availability of medical care for residents of the city and village, the need to develop additional regulators of medical activity of the population.