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IMPACT of the COVID-19 PANDEMIC on HEALTHCARE UTILIZATIONS of RMD PATIENTS in EUROPE. RESULTS from the REUMAVID STUDY (PHASE 1 and 2)
Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases ; 81:1806, 2022.
Article in English | EMBASE | ID: covidwho-2008977
ABSTRACT

Background:

The beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic led to a collapse of healthcare systems that was difficult to manage.

Objectives:

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on RMD patients' healthcare utilization.

Methods:

REUMAVID is an international cross-sectional study collecting data through an online survey on RMD in seven European countries led by the Health & Territory Research group of the University of Seville, together with a multidisciplinary team including patient representatives, rheumatolo-gists, and health researchers. Data were collected in two phases, the frst (P1) between April-July 2020 and the second (P2) between February-April 2021. Demographics, health behaviours, employment status, access to healthcare services, disease characteristics, WHO-5 Well-Being Index and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were collected in the survey. Healthcare utilization includes scheduled appointments and attendance at the rheumatol-ogist, consultation of possible treatment effects if COVID-19 is contracted with the rheumatologist, primary health care and psychological care. Descriptive analysis and Mann-Whitney test was used to explore association with healthcare utilization in both phases of REUMAVID.

Results:

There were a total of 2,002 participants across both phases with comparable demographic characteristics [mean age 52.6 (P1) vs. 55.0 years (P2);80.2% female (P1) vs 83.7% (P2);69.6% married (P1) vs 68.3% (P2), 48.6% university educated (P1) vs 47.8% (P2)]. Most prevalent RMD was axial spondyloarthritis in P1 (37.2%), and rheumatoid arthritis in P2 (53.1%). Only 39.2% could have a scheduled appointment with their rheumatologist during P1, compared to 72.5% of patients in P2 (p<0.001). In this sense, only 41.6% of participants in the P1 attended such an appointment while in P2 this figure was 61.5% (p<0.001). The majority of patients (83%) had their scheduled face-to-face appointment changed to an online or telephone phone in the P2, although this proportion was lower in the P1 (54.4%). The most frequent reason for canceling the face-to-face appointment was the alternative of making it by phone or online (54.4% in P1 vs. 83.0% in P2, p<0.001). Although, in P1, 38.1% of participants could contact with their rheumatolo-gist by phone or online, this proportion was 64.3% in P2 (p<0.001). In P1, 64.0% of patients were able to consult with their rheumatologist about the possible effects of treatment in case of contracting COVID-19 (vs. 41.2% in P2;p<0.001). With respect to general practitioners, 57.6% of patients in P1 declared to had accessed primary care or general practitioner (vs. 77.5% in P2;p<0.001). Furthermore, in P2, a higher proportion of participants (63.2%) were able to continue their psychological or psychiatric therapy either online or by phone (vs. 48.3% in P1;p<0.001;Figure 1)

Conclusion:

During the frst year of COVID-19 pandemic, RMD patients had easier access to the healthcare system, specifcally to their rheumatologist. This access was improved through phone and online care. In addition, access to primary care as well as psychological care improved during the second year of pandemic.
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Full text: Available Collection: Databases of international organizations Database: EMBASE Type of study: Experimental Studies Language: English Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases Year: 2022 Document Type: Article

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Full text: Available Collection: Databases of international organizations Database: EMBASE Type of study: Experimental Studies Language: English Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases Year: 2022 Document Type: Article