PONE-D-21-29050Impact of quarantine due to COVID-19 Pandemic on health and lifestyle conditions in older adults from Centro American countriesPLOS ONE

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Reviewer #1: Partly

Reviewer #2: Yes

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2. Has the statistical analysis been performed appropriately and rigorously?

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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5. Review Comments to the Author

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Reviewer #1: The authors report the “Impact of quarantine due to COVID-19 Pandemic on health and lifestyle conditions in older adults from Centro American countries. This study found that the mental and physical health in older people is negatively affected during the COVID-19 quarantine. The authors suggest attention of governments and healthcare to prevent morbidity and disability, and to promote healthy aging.

Minor comments:

1) As the authors rightly pointed out “The present study must acknowledge some limitations” and have acknowledged few limitations in their study. So, to make this study more general the author should increase the sample size. The presented sample set of 712 is too small in number. If the authors were unable to increase the sample size, then, they should acknowledge this limitation in their manuscript.

2) Considering the socio-economic conditions, it’s not clear to me how strict was the lockdown in the Centro American countries and how strongly the subjects adhered to these quarantine measures.

3) Also, I am curious if the authors have any data about the weight loss or weight gain during this time.

Reviewer #2: The manuscript by Mendoza-Ruvalcaba et al. “Impact of quarantine due to COVID-19 Pandemic on health and lifestyle conditions in older adults from Centro American countries” is interesting and noteworthy. Authors performed cross-sectional study, n=712 older adults 60 years and older from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Costa Rica were assessed by telephone. In conclusions authors have suggested that the effects of quarantine on older adults in Centro America, requires attention of governments and healthcare to prevent long term morbidity and disability, and to promote healthy aging. Furthermore, this reviewer feels the manuscript requires minor revision before its publication.

Comments

1. The language of manuscript may be polished (minor).

2. The abbreviations should be cross validated in the manuscript (First define them fully followed by abbreviation).

3. Please provide few information’s about health and lifestyle conditions in older adults before COVID-19 Pandemic in discussion (minor).

4. The authors may additionally provide one Figure as summary, challenges, or prospect of the present study.

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Impact of quarantine due to COVID-19 Pandemic on health and lifestyle conditions in older adults from Centro American countries

PONE-D-21-29050R1

Dear Dr. Soto-Añari,

We’re pleased to inform you that your manuscript has been judged scientifically suitable for publication and will be formally accepted for publication once it meets all outstanding technical requirements.

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Kind regards,

Sanjay Kumar Singh Patel, Ph.D.

Academic Editor

PLOS ONE