The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the management of patients with chronic diseases in Primary Health Care

Abstract

The new SARS-CoV-2 outbreak has rapidly spread to many countries and has pushed health systems to radical changes in healthcare provision. This study aims to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the management of chronic patients in Primary Health Care (PHC). A narrative review of the literature was carried out in the PubMed and Google Scholar databases. It was found that since the pandemic’s onset, many regular medical visits have led to delays, postponements, and even cancellations. The reasons for this discontinuity of chronic care were individual (fear and reluctance, home isolation), but also collective (shortages of medical staff, weakening of PHC, and suspension of outpatient care). Therefore, postponements of scheduled medical visits, delayed seeking of help and lack of medication adherence could lead to deregulation of chronic diseases, posing a risk for catastrophic health consequences. In order to ensure the continuity of chronic care provision, health systems have adopted new practices such as telemedicine and self-monitoring. The inclusion of chronic care in national pandemic response plans, the strengthening of PHC and the improvement of communication between patients and public health officials are essential preconditions to mitigate the indirect effects of the pandemic on chronic care.

Keywords

• covid-19
• pandemic
• sars-cov-2
• primary health care
• noncommunicable diseases
• chronic conditions