*3.2. Reactions (Limitations) Related to the Fear of COVID-19 Infection*

Fear of COVID-19 infection exerts a significant change in the surveyed population's behavior. A significant number of the participants have limited their professional (*n* = 133, 26.6%), social (*n* = 381, 76.2%), and recreational activities (*n* = 277, 55.4%). Furthermore, over 30% of patients stopped going out shopping (*n* = 162, 32.4%). Mainly, purchases are delivered by the family's members (*n* = 98, 60.5%). 39 patients try to eat less (*n* = 39, 24.1%) and 17 patients order food via internet (*n* = 17, 10.5%). Detailed data on the assessment of the behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic is presented in Table 2.

Anxiety and restriction of activity during the COVID-19 pandemic significantly more often occurred in patients who suffered from coronary heart disease (*p* < 0.001, Figure S1A in Supplementary Materials), COPD (*p* = 0.01, Figure S1B), and heart failure (*p* < 0.001, Figure S1C). Moreover, it occurred significantly more often in participants vaccinated against influenza in 2019 (*p* = 0.003, Figure S2A) and 2020 (*p* = 0.004, Figure S2B). This phenomenon was also observed among patients who were willing to be vaccinated against influenza but could not undergo vaccination due to the lack of availability of vaccines in pharmacies (*p* = 0.009, Figure S2C) and those advised by GP doctor to be vaccinated against influenza and pneumococci (*p* < 0.001, Figure S2D). Furthermore, the presence of anxiety and activity restriction during the COVID-19 pandemic was positively correlated with the number of medicines taken (*p* < 0.001, Figure S3A). This phenomenon was observed in patients who take cardiac drugs (*p* = 0.001, Figure S3B), antihypertensives (*p* = 0.009, Figure S3C), diuretics (*p* = 0.004, Figure S3D), drugs for digestive ailments (*p* = 0.037, Figure S3E) and anticoagulants (*p* < 0.001, Figure S3F), significantly more often. Moreover, anxiety and restriction of activity were significantly more often observed in less fit according to the IADL scale (*p* = 0.048, Figure S4A), with geriatric depression according to the GDS-15

scale (*p* < 0.001, Figure S4B), with a higher level of anxiety according to GAS-10 scale (*p* < 0.001, Figure S4C), with a higher level of social loneliness according to LSNS-6 scale (*p* = 0.008, Figure S4D), and with malnutrition according to MNA scale (*p* = 0.011, Figure S4E) participants.

**Table 2.** Assessment of the behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic.


Including all 500 surveyed patients, 50 (10.0%) of them canceled planned hospitalizations (Table 2, (question 5)). These cases occurred the most often in elderly patients who suffered from coronary heart disease (*p* < 0.001, Table S1). A slightly lower percentage of patients avoiding medical care was observed in those with asthma (*p* = 0.026, Table S1), COPD (*p* < 0.001, Table S1) and heart failure (*p* < 0.001, Table S1). Furthermore, patients vaccinated against influenza in 2019 (*p* < 0.001, Figure 1A, Table S1), and 2020 (*p* = 0.008, Table S1), also did not show up for an agreed medical examination. Moreover, we indicated that the likelihood of canceling planned hospitalizations was higher for patients being on current medication (*p* < 0.001, Table S1). These observations were the most visible in patients taking cardiac drugs (*p* = 0.001, Table S1) or nootropics (*p* = 0.014, Table S1). According to the IADL scale, GAS-10 scale, LSNS-6 scale, and MNA scale, planned hospitalizations were also canceled by less fit patients (*p* < 0.001, Figure 1B, Table S1), with a higher level of anxiety (*p* = 0.002, Table S1), social loneliness (*p* = 0.004, Table S1) and malnutrition (*p* < 0.001, Table S1), respectively.

**Figure 1.** (**A**) Number (*n*) and percentage (%) of elderly patients in groups differing on those vaccinated against influenza or not in 2019, (**B**) Mann–Whitney U test showing the significant correlation between patients who are less fit (according to IADL scale) and canceled planned hospitalization due to the fear of COVID-19 infection.

The main individual predictors of avoiding medical care (manifested by canceling planned hospitalizations) due to the fear against COVID-19 infection in elderly patients are a vaccination against influenza in 2019, the number of drugs currently taken, and IADL score (Figure 1, Table S1). The chance of an affirmative answer to the question regarding the cancelation of planned hospitalizations was three times higher in elderly patients who were vaccinated against influenza in 2019 than those without vaccination (OR = 3, CI95% [1.46–6.16]). Furthermore, the risk of canceling planned hospitalization increased nearly twofold in elderly patients who take medications compared to those who do not (OR = 1.92, CI95% [1.33–2.78]). Moreover, performing more complex activities by elderly patients influences on higher likelihood to cancel planned hospitalization due to the fear of COVID-19 infection (OR = 0.87, CI95% [0.79–0.96]). Detailed data on analyzing elderly patients who avoid medical care due to the fear of COVID-19 infection, including the logit model, are presented in Table 3.

The generalized logit regression model leading to an estimate of the probability of affirmative answer to the question regarding canceling planned hospitalizations by elderly patients due to the fear of COVID-19 infection took the form:
