COVID-19′s Psychological Impact on Chronic Disease Patients Seeking Medical Care

Abstract

Background: The outbreak has harmed patients with multiple comorbidities and chronic conditions. The pandemic’s psychological impact is thought to change their routine of seeking medical care. Research Question or Hypothesis: During COVID-19, patients with chronic conditions may experience anxiety, depression, and stress, and their pattern of seeking medical care may change. Materials and Methods: In May 2021, a cross-sectional, web-based study of patients with chronic diseases was conducted. Eligible patients (1036) were assessed for psychological disorders, primarily depression, stress, and anxiety, using the DASS-21 scale, and their pattern of receiving medical care during COVID-19. Results: During the pandemic, 52.5% of the patients with chronic diseases were depressed, 57.9% were anxious, and 35.6% were stressed. Patients with chronic diseases who had moderate to severe depression (34.9% versus 45.1%, p = 0.001), moderate to severe anxiety (43.6% versus 53.8%, p = 0.001), or moderate to severe stress (14.9% versus 34.8%, p = 0.001) were significantly more likely to have no follow-up for their chronic conditions. Conclusions: Patients with chronic conditions experienced significant anxiety, depression, and stress during COVID-19, which changed their pattern of seeking medical care, and the majority of them did not receive follow-up for their chronic conditions.

Evaluation of Telemedicine Consultations Using Health Outcomes and User Attitudes and Experiences: Scoping Review

“…Considering these findings from this scoping review, telemedicine consultations indicate the potential to be beneficial not only for patients’ physical health but also for aspects that are, to some extent, tangential to their chronic conditions, improvements to which have been associated with better health outcomes [ 67 , 68 ]. This was highlighted by the recent study by Salah et al [ 69 ] investigating the psychological impact of the pandemic on patients with chronic conditions among the Egyptian population. While their findings are limited to the Egyptian population, the researchers found increased rates of anxiety, depression, and stress among this demographic, partly associated with the fear of contracting the SARS-CoV-2 virus, owing to which they subsequently did not attend follow-up consultations.…”

The determinants of sustained adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures among older Syrian refugees in Lebanon

“…One explanation is that older Syrian refugees already had significant difficulty in accessing healthcare, even before the economic crisis in Lebanon and the pandemic and showed poorer mental health and more cognitive difficulties than younger refugees [48][49][50]. Another factor could be that people with chronic conditions were likely to exhibit significantly worse mental health during the pandemic [51], and mental health affects people's willingness and ability to adhere to preventive measures.…”