A new emergency during the latest phase of the COVID-19 pandemic: access to healthcare services by patients with non-communicable diseases
BackgroundThe aim of our study was to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the healthcare and the disease management of patients affected by non-communicable diseases (NCDs), by exploring, specifically, the obstacles encountered in the access to healthcare services during the latest ph...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-10-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Medicine |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2023.1261063/full |
| _version_ | 1797660920327962624 |
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| author | Caterina De Sarro Rosa Papadopoli Maria Carmela Morgante Claudia Pileggi Claudia Pileggi |
| author_facet | Caterina De Sarro Rosa Papadopoli Maria Carmela Morgante Claudia Pileggi Claudia Pileggi |
| author_sort | Caterina De Sarro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundThe aim of our study was to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the healthcare and the disease management of patients affected by non-communicable diseases (NCDs), by exploring, specifically, the obstacles encountered in the access to healthcare services during the latest phase of the pandemic.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was carried out among subjects attending the anti-SARS-CoV2 vaccination clinic in a Teaching Hospital of Southern Italy. To be included in the study, subjects had to be affected by at least one NCD, such as diabetes, hypertension, respiratory and heart diseases, renal and liver chronic conditions, immunodeficiency disorders due to cancer, or being kidney or liver transplant recipients.ResultsAmong the 553 subjects who completed the questionnaire, the 39.4% (95% IC = 35.3–43.6) experienced obstacles in the access to healthcare services in the six months prior to the enrollment. The most frequent canceled/postponed healthcare services were the visits for routine checks for NCDs (60.6, 95% IC = 53.9–67), control visits of more complex diseases as cancer or transplantation (17.3, 95% IC = 12.6–22.8), and scheduled surgery (11.5, 95% IC = 7.7–16.4). The patients who experienced canceled/postponed healthcare services were significantly more likely to suffer from 3 or more NCDs (p = 0.042), to be diabetics (p = 0.038), to have immunodeficiency disorders (p = 0.028) and to have consulted GP at least once (p = 0.004).ConclusionOur results appear to be fundamental for guiding the choices of providers in order to concentrate organizational efforts to recover and reschedule missed appointments, where applicable, of the most fragile patients by virtue of age and chronic conditions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T18:37:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-633ba61ac74c4b1a95fecea17d502c5a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-858X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T18:37:50Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-633ba61ac74c4b1a95fecea17d502c5a2023-10-12T15:47:16ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Medicine2296-858X2023-10-011010.3389/fmed.2023.12610631261063A new emergency during the latest phase of the COVID-19 pandemic: access to healthcare services by patients with non-communicable diseasesCaterina De Sarro0Rosa Papadopoli1Maria Carmela Morgante2Claudia Pileggi3Claudia Pileggi4Department of Health Sciences, University of Catanzaro "Magna Græcia", Catanzaro, ItalyDepartment of Health Sciences, University of Catanzaro "Magna Græcia", Catanzaro, ItalyDepartment of Health Sciences, University of Catanzaro "Magna Græcia", Catanzaro, ItalyDepartment of Health Sciences, University of Catanzaro "Magna Græcia", Catanzaro, ItalyFAS@UMG Research Center, Department of Health Science, School of Medicine, University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, ItalyBackgroundThe aim of our study was to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the healthcare and the disease management of patients affected by non-communicable diseases (NCDs), by exploring, specifically, the obstacles encountered in the access to healthcare services during the latest phase of the pandemic.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was carried out among subjects attending the anti-SARS-CoV2 vaccination clinic in a Teaching Hospital of Southern Italy. To be included in the study, subjects had to be affected by at least one NCD, such as diabetes, hypertension, respiratory and heart diseases, renal and liver chronic conditions, immunodeficiency disorders due to cancer, or being kidney or liver transplant recipients.ResultsAmong the 553 subjects who completed the questionnaire, the 39.4% (95% IC = 35.3–43.6) experienced obstacles in the access to healthcare services in the six months prior to the enrollment. The most frequent canceled/postponed healthcare services were the visits for routine checks for NCDs (60.6, 95% IC = 53.9–67), control visits of more complex diseases as cancer or transplantation (17.3, 95% IC = 12.6–22.8), and scheduled surgery (11.5, 95% IC = 7.7–16.4). The patients who experienced canceled/postponed healthcare services were significantly more likely to suffer from 3 or more NCDs (p = 0.042), to be diabetics (p = 0.038), to have immunodeficiency disorders (p = 0.028) and to have consulted GP at least once (p = 0.004).ConclusionOur results appear to be fundamental for guiding the choices of providers in order to concentrate organizational efforts to recover and reschedule missed appointments, where applicable, of the most fragile patients by virtue of age and chronic conditions.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2023.1261063/fullCOVID-19 pandemicsfrailtyhealth services accessibilitynon-communicabledisease |
| spellingShingle | Caterina De Sarro Rosa Papadopoli Maria Carmela Morgante Claudia Pileggi Claudia Pileggi A new emergency during the latest phase of the COVID-19 pandemic: access to healthcare services by patients with non-communicable diseases Frontiers in Medicine COVID-19 pandemics frailty health services accessibility non-communicable disease |
| title | A new emergency during the latest phase of the COVID-19 pandemic: access to healthcare services by patients with non-communicable diseases |
| title_full | A new emergency during the latest phase of the COVID-19 pandemic: access to healthcare services by patients with non-communicable diseases |
| title_fullStr | A new emergency during the latest phase of the COVID-19 pandemic: access to healthcare services by patients with non-communicable diseases |
| title_full_unstemmed | A new emergency during the latest phase of the COVID-19 pandemic: access to healthcare services by patients with non-communicable diseases |
| title_short | A new emergency during the latest phase of the COVID-19 pandemic: access to healthcare services by patients with non-communicable diseases |
| title_sort | new emergency during the latest phase of the covid 19 pandemic access to healthcare services by patients with non communicable diseases |
| topic | COVID-19 pandemics frailty health services accessibility non-communicable disease |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2023.1261063/full |
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