What Impact does a Pandemic have on Emergency Department Visits? COVID-19 Pandemic and Coronaphobia

Abstract

Objective: Emergency department (ED) visits have decreased to varying extents worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic. This has been linked to restricted access to health services in association with the pandemic to changes in social life, and to individuals avoiding health institutions in order not to contract the disease. Failure to access emergency department services for health problems requiring urgent care can lead to complications and to outcomes even resulting in mortality and disability. The purpose of this study was to examine the postponement of emergency department visits during the pandemic and explore the reasons for these delays. 
 Method: A cross-sectional study was performed in the ED of a university hospital in the Black Sea region of Turkey. The study population consisted of patients aged 18 and over. Patients meeting the inclusion criteria were given a questionnaire developed that included a COVID-19 Phobia Scale. The data collection forms were administered by ED physicians via face-to-face interviews. 
 Results: The research was completed with 352 patients. 27.0% of the participants stated delays in their emergency department visits due to COVID-19 pandemic. The most common reasons for postponing emergency department visits were reluctance to visit a hospital because of the pandemic (46.3%), lack of an individual to accompany the patient (28.4%), and difficulty in finding proper transportation (18.9%). ED visit delays were significantly higher among single patients than married ones and were significantly lower in patients aged 31-55 compared to other patients (p0.05). 
 Conclusion: Approximately one in three patients delayed their ED visits due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to ‘fear of exposure to the disease’ which can be interpretated as a direct effect of the pandemic on postponement of emergency department visits, it also has indirect effects such as concerns over finding transportation and an individual to accompany the patient.