Amid COVID-19 pandemic, are non-COVID patients left in the lurch?

Alam, Laima and Kazmi, Syed Kumail Hasan and Alam, Mafaza and Faraid, Varqa (2021) Amid COVID-19 pandemic, are non-COVID patients left in the lurch? Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences, 37 (2). pp. 576-581. ISSN 1682-024X

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Abstract

Objectives: 1) To explore the possible impact of the pandemic on the health seeking behavior of the patients, 2) To explore the relation of socio-demographics on the utility of health-care facilities.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted by enrolling all patients ≥15 years of age presenting to the Out-Patient-Department of three main public-hospitals after obtaining ethical committee approval. A questionnaire with validated Urdu translation was filled by each participant that included socio-demographic data, pre-Covid and Covid-19 era health seeking behaviors and the impact of the pandemic on the utilization of healthcare facilities. Data was analyzed using SPSS V.19.

Results: A total of 393 patients were enrolled with a male preponderance (72%) and a median age range of 31-45 years. Fifty-eight percent of the study population was unemployed and 47.3% were seeking follow up care. The frequency of ER and multiple (>4 times) OPD visits were significantly decreased in the Covid-19 times whereas, the laboratory and radiology services were largely unaffected. A significant number of patients were not satisfied with the current healthcare facilities that was seen irrespective of the socio-demographic status. Emergency Room and radiology services were largely unaffected whereas, elective procedures and laboratory facilities were reported to be severely affected or delayed in relation to socio-demographic variables.

Conclusions: Healthcare inequalities have widened and depression has shown a sharp rise during this pandemic. The over-burdened healthcare facilities at the verge of collapse may miss out on the chronic non-Covid patients which would ultimately lead to increased morbidity and mortality.

Item Type: Article
Subjects: STM Digital > Medical Science
Depositing User: Unnamed user with email support@stmdigital.org
Date Deposited: 15 Apr 2023 09:35
Last Modified: 05 Jul 2024 07:04
URI: http://research.asianarticleeprint.com/id/eprint/602

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