Patient Preference and Adherence (Aug 2023)

Perception and Attitude of Lebanese IBD Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic

  • Mikhael E,
  • Khalife Y,
  • Yaghi C,
  • Khoury B,
  • Khazaka S,
  • Khoueiry C,
  • Safar K,
  • Sayegh RB,
  • Honein K,
  • Slim R

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 17
pp. 1967 – 1975

Abstract

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Elio Mikhael, Yaacoub Khalife, Cesar Yaghi, Bernard Khoury, Stephanie Khazaka, Christèle Khoueiry, Karl Safar, Raymond B Sayegh, Khalil Honein, Rita Slim Department of Gastro-Enterology and Hepatology, Saint-Joseph University, Beirut, LebanonCorrespondence: Rita Slim, Department of Gastro-Enterology and Hepatology, Saint-Joseph University, Beirut, Lebanon, Email [email protected]: The emergence of the COVID pandemic affected daily living and healthcare access of IBD patients, due to delays of elective procedures and in-hospital treatments. Our aim is to determine the repercussions of the pandemic on the daily habits of IBD patients and on their compliance to follow-up and treatment.Methods: This was a cross-sectional observational study. A questionnaire was administered in between 2020 and 2022 to IBD patients in a tertiary center in Lebanon. The outcomes measured were patient perceptions regarding COVID and how it affected their treatment.Results: A total of 201 answers were included in the analysis with male predominance. Two-thirds had Crohn’s disease. Near 80% were afraid of being infected by COVID-19 and 87.6% were afraid of physical contact. 91.5% reduced their daily habits and 96.0% have used personal protective equipment. 47.3% of the patients report that there are factors that reduced their worries, the most common factor being contacting their physician (61.0%). The main source of information was the treating physician (37.8%). A quarter of patients think that their condition predisposed to COVID-19 infection and about two-thirds believe that immunosuppressive therapy did so. The same amount reported concern regarding visiting the hospital. 27.4% preferred telemedicine and 44.8% preferred over-The-phone consultation to an in-person visit. Three-quarters were in favor of vaccination. 59.6% delayed their in-center treatment, which was associated with a reduction in daily life activities. 13.9% wanted to discontinue their treatment, which was associated with smoking, cardiovascular, and rheumatological comorbidities, but only 4% did so.Conclusion: The pandemic had significant repercussions on the everyday life of IBD patients, with some preferring to consult via telemedicine and others considering stopping their treatment.Keywords: inflammatory bowel disease, COVID-19, patient–provider relationship, patient adherence

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