Azam Navaei Kolvanagh - Department of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
Kazem Hosseinzadeh - Department of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
Fatemeh Rahmati - Health Research Center, Life Style Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences Tehran, Iran
Mehdi Raei - Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Health, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Background and Objectives: Caregivers' health literacy is an influential factor in the caregivers’ efficiency to meet the physiological and psychological needs of the elderly. The prolongation of the COVID-۱۹ pandemic and the problems of the elderly can be a reason for fear of infection in their caregivers. This study aimed to investigate the fear of COVID-۱۹ in caregivers and its relationship with their health literacy.Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on ۴۰۰ caregivers of the elderly, living in Tehran, Iran during the Summer of ۲۰۲۱. The tools consisted of health literacy, fear of COVID-۱۹, awareness, attitude, and performance were collected through questionnaires. The data was gathered by using an online questionnaire. Data analysis was performed by using SPSS ver.۲۳ with Pearson correlation and regression, and independent t-test. ۲۳. Results: For each increased unit of the health literacy score, the fear of COVID-۱۹ score decreased by ۰.۱۸۵ units (P =۰.۰۲۵). The mean score of health literacy was ۷۵.۸۹ ±۱۴.۵۱ in caregivers of the elderly. The mean score of fear of COVID-۱۹ was ۱۹.۴۲ ±۵.۰۲ in caregivers of the elderly. For each increased unit of the health literacy score, the awareness score increases by ۰.۳۱۱ units, the attitude score increases by ۰.۶۳۸ units, and the performance score also increase by ۰.۲۱۴ units. Conclusions: As health literacy increases, the fear of COVID-۱۹ decreases. In addition, most health caregivers have adequate levels of health literacy. It is suggested to set educational policies to increase the health literacy of the caregivers whose health literacy level is not desirable.

Aging, Caregivers, COVID-۱۹, fear, Health Literacy