The COVID-19 pandemic affected regular health care for patients with chronic diseases.
However, the impact of the pandemic on primary care for patients with coronary artery
disease (CAD) who are enrolled in a structured disease management program (DMP) in
Germany is not clear. We investigated whether the pandemic affected primary care and
health outcomes of DMP-CAD patients (n = 750) by using a questionnaire assessing
patients’ utilization of medical care, CAD symptoms, as well as health behavior and
mental health since March 2020. We found that out of concern about getting infected
with COVID-19, 9.1% of the patients did not consult a medical practitioner despite
having CAD symptoms. Perceived own influence on infection risk was lower and anxiety
was higher in these patients compared to symptomatic CAD patients who consulted
a physician. Among the patients who reported chest pain lasting longer than 30 min,
one third did not consult a medical practitioner subsequently. These patients were
generally more worried about COVID-19. Patients with at least one worsening CAD
symptom (chest pain, dyspnea, perspiration, or nausea without apparent reason) since
the pandemic showed more depressive symptoms, higher anxiety scores, and were less
likely to consult a doctor despite having CAD symptoms out of fear of infection. Our
results provide evidence that the majority of patients received sufficient medical care
during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany. However, one in ten patients could be
considered particularly at risk for medical undersupply and adverse health outcomes.
The perceived infection risk with COVID-19 might have facilitated the decision not to
consult a medical doctor.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:DRESDEN/oai:qucosa:de:qucosa:84323 |
| Date | 27 March 2023 |
| Creators | Maehl, Nathalie, Bleckwenn, Markus, Riedel-Heller, Steffi G., Mehlhorn, Sebastian, Lippmann, Stefan, Deutsch, Tobias, Schrimpf, Anne |
| Publisher | Frontiers Research Foundation |
| Source Sets | Hochschulschriftenserver (HSSS) der SLUB Dresden |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion, doc-type:article, info:eu-repo/semantics/article, doc-type:Text |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
| Relation | 2296-858X, 760265 |
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