ABSTRACT
Objectives: To investigate the knowledge, believes, and fears of patients with Chronic Inflammatory Rheumatic Diseases (CIRD) in Morocco regarding the Covid-19 pandemic. Methods: COVID-19 related knowledge was evaluated through following items: clinical presentations, age of infection, transmission routes, self-reported preventive behaviors, patient's approach in case of suspicion of being infected by COVID-19 and vaccination. We also investigated the source of the patients' information. Believes and fears of patients regarding COVID-19 was assessed using 2 items that explored participant's perception of the degree of threat to public health and their individual infection susceptibility compared to the general population. Results: A cross-sectional study was conducted among patients with rheumatic diseases using a questionnaire providing information on patients and disease characteristics. 350 patients had participated in this online survey (mean age of 46,1 ± 14,4, 68% were women, 15.7% were illiterate, 45.7% were unemployed, rural residence in 11.7% of cases). The correct answer rates of the 6 questions of the knowledge section of the questionnaire were 53.4-100% with an average mean of 90.7%. The mean COVID-19 knowledge score was 5,43/6 (SD:0,48). Most participants (96.6%) correctly identified the age group concerned about Covid-19 infection. Remarkably 92.3% of the participants recognized 3 clinical features when 97.7% and 72.3% of the sample recognized perfectly modes of transmission and disease prevention measures. 87.4% of patients knew the recommended course of action to do if they have fever or cough and have recently been in contact with an infected patient. 64% of the study population thought that there was no vaccine available yet. The sources of information on COVID-19 were in descending order: rheumatologist (56.6 %), personal research (on the internet or other) (43.4%), video broadcasts on national television channels (28%), other Awareness Video (24.2%). Regarding the patients believes and fears toward COVID-19, 81.7% of patients believed that the pandemic is a serious threat for the public health and 80.6% thought that their CIRD makes them more exposed to the risk of contamination than general population. Conclusion: The results of this survey show a high prevalence of patient concern about COVID-19. However, the majority of patients responded correctly on the mode of transmission and the means of protection for the COVID-19 infection. Those results could be explained by enormous awareness-raising efforts carried out by our differents departments of our government.
ABSTRACT
Background: Covid-19 pandemic had a worldwide impact on the population, global economy and health care systems. Objectives: To evaluate the psychological state and social impact of patients with Chronic Inflammatory Rheumatic Diseases (CIRD) during this pandemic in order to understand how to optimize their quality of life. Methods: It's a cross-sectional survey, where the data were collected through the online survey tool google forms. A pilot test were conducted with the study committee members who analyzed the apparent validity of the questionnaire and identified issues that could lead to misunderstandings, and their suggestions were refined by a retest reliability until general agreement. The social and psychological impacts were evaluated by 14 questions exploring the different effects of the containment on negative feelings, interest in the family, changes in daily activities and plans, quality of sleep, practice of physical activity before and during containment, as well as the impact of the Coronavirus on psychological health. Statistical Analysis System IBM SPSS Statistics V20.0.0 was used to analyze the survey data. Results: 350 patients had participated in this online survey (mean age of 46,1 ± 14,4, 68% were women, 15.7% were illiterate, 45.7% were unemployed, rural residence in 11.7% of cases). Patients reported that their mental health has been negatively affected by Coronavirus in 59.1% of cases. Table 1 summarizes the psychological events during the containment. Patients reported that they paid more attention to their family in 87.1% during containment. Their daily lives and their life plans had changed because of Coronavirus(in 89.7% and 81.4%). Sleep during the pandemic has been negatively affected in 72.6% of patients. Physical activity practice had significantly decreased during containment (26.6% vs 51.7%) Conclusion: This study illustrates the social and psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic on patients with CIRD. In the light of those results, we have lunched an awareness campaign to reinforce psychologic and social support of patients with CIRD during this global health crisis.
ABSTRACT
Background: The Coronavirus pandemic caused many consequences on well being, access to care and therapeutic maintenance in patients with chronic diseases. Objectives: To assess the impact of COVID-19 on therapeutic maintenance of patients with Chronic Inflammatory Rheumatic Diseases (CIRD) and to identify related factors to difficulties in access to rheumatologist care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among patients with rheumatic diseases using a questionnaire providing information on patients and disease characteristics, impact of COVID-19 on access to rheumatologist care and therapeutic maintenance during the confinement. Reasons of therapeutic interruption and of diificulties in access to healthcare were precised. Results: We received answers from 350 patients (female sex of 68%, mean age of 46,1 ± 14,4 years) suffering from Chronic Inflammatory Rheumatic Diseases (CIRD):rheumatic arthritis (RA) (62.3%), spondyloarthropathies (34.3%), and undifferentiated CIRD (3.4%). The global average disease evolution was 12,1 ± 9,7 years. The patients were treated with conventional Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (cDMARDs) and biologic Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) in respectively 67.4% and 30.6% of cases. Corticosteroids and Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatories (NSAIDs) intake was noted in 39.1 and 33.7% of patients. Difficulties to access to rheumatologist care appointments were reported in 82.9% of the participants. Reasons of thoses difficulties are summurized in Figure 1. Half of patients declared that the pandemic had affected their therapeutic compliance. Discontinued drugs were in decreasing order: Synthetic antimalarials (68.4%), NSAIDs (45.8%), Methotrexate (43.8%), bDMARDs (25.2%), Sulfasalazine (18.2%) and Corticosteroids (10,2%). Causes of treatments interruption are summarized in Table I. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic impacted heavly on therapeutic maintenance in CIRD patients in our country. Patients expressed many difficulties in access to appropiate management. Facing to all thoses consequences, we need to devolopp as soon as possible adequate solutions adapted in such health crisis, especially therapeutic education and telemedecine.
ABSTRACT
Objectives: To evaluate the effect of containment, during the Covid-19 pandemic, on the pain of patients with CIRD, and to analyze the factors associated with the experience of pain. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among patients with rheumatic diseases using a questionnaire providing information on patients and disease characteristics. Impact of COVID-19 on This is a cross-sectional study that consecutively included Patients were asked to assess the global pain which they had experienced before and during the containment period, using a single Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (greatest pain). Statistical Analysis System IBM SPSS Statistics V20.0.0 was used to analyze the study data. We performed univariate then multivariate analysis to search any related factors to pain perception during to quarantines. Qualitative values were analyzed by the chi2 test. Quantitative values were analyzed by the Student test when the measures were normally distributed or by nonparametric test (Mann-Whitney U) when the measures were not normally distributed (Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used to test normality). Results: Among the 350 patients who answered to the questionnaire online, rheumatoid arthritis represented 62.3%, spondyloarthropathy 34.3% and undifferentiated CIRD 3.4%. Pain experience caused by the CIRD during the containment was reported by 79.1% of patients. The level of pain, using the VAS of Pain increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic (4,6 ± 2,8 and 5,4 ± 3 before and during the containment;p<0.001). In multivariate analysis, the factors implicated in pain were the negative impact of Coronavirus on access to rheumatologic care, discontinuation of therapeutic adherence, the disturbed quality of sleep and the negative psychological impact (table 1). Table 1: Summarize multivariable analysis of factors associated with painful experience related to CIRD during containement. Conclusion: This survey showed the that the COVID-19 pandemic have incresed painful experience in CIRD patients. Factors influencing painful experience should be taken into account to help patients to cope with their chronic rheumatism and this global health crisis.