Restrictions on healthcare utilization and psychological distress among patients with diseases potentially vulnerable to COVID-19; the JACSIS 2020 study

Autor: Emi Takeuchi, Kota Katanoda, Simone Cheli, Gil Goldzweig, Takahiro Tabuchi
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2022
Předmět:
Zdroj: Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine, Vol 10, Iss 1, Pp 229-240 (2022)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2164-2850
21642850
DOI: 10.1080/21642850.2022.2037429
Popis: Background Patients with comorbidity are at higher risk of deteriorating COVID-19, but they need to access healthcare services regularly for their primary disease. This study aimed to investigate whether patients restricted healthcare utilization due to the COVID-19 pandemic and to understand the relations between restriction of healthcare utilization and psychological distress of patients with a disease potentially vulnerable to COVID-19. Methods Participants were a sub-sample of 6,360 individuals suffering from chronic diseases with hypertension, diabetes, respiratory diseases, cerebrovascular disease, and cancer from the nationally representative cross-sectional internet survey data of Japan. Participants reported healthcare utilization during the first state of emergency, as well as psychological distress (K6: The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale 6) in three months after the state of emergency was ended. Multivariate linear regression analyses were performed to examine the correlation between psychological distress and healthcare utilization. Results In total, 16% restrained from visiting a hospital as scheduled or canceled a doctor visit. Approximately less than 2% experienced cancellation or delay of hospitalization, treatment, or nursing-care services. After controlling for confounders, multivariate linear regression analysis showed that those who lacked medicines, experienced deteriorated health conditions, and could not visit a hospital during the state of emergency reported severe psychological distress three months later among the patients with all disease types except cancer (β = 0.10∼0.25). Conclusions The study indicated the restriction in healthcare utilization might be a risk factor for psychological distress among patients. Careful attention to the mental status of patients, especially those who were restricted in healthcare utilization, is necessary.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals
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