Impact of COVID‐19 pandemic on foot care services in Ontario, Canada
Abstract Background The COVID‐19 pandemic has directly affected the delivery of health care services in Canada, including foot care. The goal of this descriptive study was to understand the impact of the early COVID‐19 pandemic (March 2020 to April 2021) on chiropodists' and podiatrists' c...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Foot and Ankle Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13047-022-00555-2 |
| _version_ | 1797321269012594688 |
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| author | Suzanne H. Lu Ann‐Marie McLaren Ellie Pinsker |
| author_facet | Suzanne H. Lu Ann‐Marie McLaren Ellie Pinsker |
| author_sort | Suzanne H. Lu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The COVID‐19 pandemic has directly affected the delivery of health care services in Canada, including foot care. The goal of this descriptive study was to understand the impact of the early COVID‐19 pandemic (March 2020 to April 2021) on chiropodists' and podiatrists' clinical practices and foot care service delivery in Ontario, Canada. Methods A web‐survey was completed by participating chiropodists and podiatrists registered with the College of Chiropodists of Ontario. The survey consisted of 31 multiple choice and open‐ended items on clinical practice characteristics, foot care service delivery changes, perceived barriers during the pandemic, and its impact on clinicians. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the sample and examine clinicians' responses, and qualitative content analysis was used to explore opened‐ended items. Results Of the 773 eligible clinicians, 279 participated for a response rate of 36.1%. Most respondents reported a decline in patient volume, an increase in urgent foot health problems, a financial impact on their clinical practices, an emotional impact, and substantial changes to how they provided foot care services, such as incorporating telehealth/virtual care into patient care. Factors that impact clinicians' perception of future pandemic preparedness are identified. Conclusion This study describes foot care service delivery in Ontario, Canada during the COVID‐19 pandemic. The COVID‐19 pandemic saw an increase in urgent foot health problems, decline in patient volume, and impacted clinicians' mental health and emotional well‐being. Future studies should examine patients' experiences of foot care service delivery and maintaining their foot health during the pandemic, and further examination of factors that impact clinicians' perception of pandemic preparedness. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T04:56:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0b184f5e2c5a4e1d8cb88824d045e3e1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1757-1146 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T04:56:07Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Foot and Ankle Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-0b184f5e2c5a4e1d8cb88824d045e3e12024-02-07T15:15:30ZengWileyJournal of Foot and Ankle Research1757-11462022-01-01151n/an/a10.1186/s13047-022-00555-2Impact of COVID‐19 pandemic on foot care services in Ontario, CanadaSuzanne H. Lu0Ann‐Marie McLaren1Ellie Pinsker2Wound Care TeamSurgery & Critical Care ProgramUnity Health Toronto ‐ St. Michael's Hospital30 Bond StreetM5B 1W8TorontoONCanadaWound Care TeamSurgery & Critical Care ProgramUnity Health Toronto ‐ St. Michael's Hospital30 Bond StreetM5B 1W8TorontoONCanadaDivision of Orthopaedic SurgeryUniversity of TorontoUnity Health Toronto – St. Michael's HospitalTorontoONCanadaAbstract Background The COVID‐19 pandemic has directly affected the delivery of health care services in Canada, including foot care. The goal of this descriptive study was to understand the impact of the early COVID‐19 pandemic (March 2020 to April 2021) on chiropodists' and podiatrists' clinical practices and foot care service delivery in Ontario, Canada. Methods A web‐survey was completed by participating chiropodists and podiatrists registered with the College of Chiropodists of Ontario. The survey consisted of 31 multiple choice and open‐ended items on clinical practice characteristics, foot care service delivery changes, perceived barriers during the pandemic, and its impact on clinicians. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the sample and examine clinicians' responses, and qualitative content analysis was used to explore opened‐ended items. Results Of the 773 eligible clinicians, 279 participated for a response rate of 36.1%. Most respondents reported a decline in patient volume, an increase in urgent foot health problems, a financial impact on their clinical practices, an emotional impact, and substantial changes to how they provided foot care services, such as incorporating telehealth/virtual care into patient care. Factors that impact clinicians' perception of future pandemic preparedness are identified. Conclusion This study describes foot care service delivery in Ontario, Canada during the COVID‐19 pandemic. The COVID‐19 pandemic saw an increase in urgent foot health problems, decline in patient volume, and impacted clinicians' mental health and emotional well‐being. Future studies should examine patients' experiences of foot care service delivery and maintaining their foot health during the pandemic, and further examination of factors that impact clinicians' perception of pandemic preparedness.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13047-022-00555-2COVID‐19Foot careChiropodistsPodiatristsFoot healthTelehealth/virtual care |
| spellingShingle | Suzanne H. Lu Ann‐Marie McLaren Ellie Pinsker Impact of COVID‐19 pandemic on foot care services in Ontario, Canada Journal of Foot and Ankle Research COVID‐19 Foot care Chiropodists Podiatrists Foot health Telehealth/virtual care |
| title | Impact of COVID‐19 pandemic on foot care services in Ontario, Canada |
| title_full | Impact of COVID‐19 pandemic on foot care services in Ontario, Canada |
| title_fullStr | Impact of COVID‐19 pandemic on foot care services in Ontario, Canada |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of COVID‐19 pandemic on foot care services in Ontario, Canada |
| title_short | Impact of COVID‐19 pandemic on foot care services in Ontario, Canada |
| title_sort | impact of covid 19 pandemic on foot care services in ontario canada |
| topic | COVID‐19 Foot care Chiropodists Podiatrists Foot health Telehealth/virtual care |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13047-022-00555-2 |
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