Health seeking behavior of patients with Ischemic Heart Disease during the COVID-19 pandemic in the outpatient clinics of a tertiary hospital

ABSTRACT

Background@#Ischemic Heart Disease is a chronic, progressive, and dynamic disease. It remains to be the number one cause of mortality globally and in the Philippines. Patients with IHD belong to the vulnerable group both before and during the COVID 19 pandemic. Currently, there have been changes in the healthcare system leading to decreased delivery of services such as outpatient care and development of medical care avoidance affecting patients’ clinical outcomes.@*Objectives@#This study aimed to determine if there are any changes in the health seeking behavior of these patients during the pandemic in a single tertiary hospital.@*Methods@#Descriptive and analytical cross-sectional design was used. Majority of the population were 60 years old and above, female, unemployed, non-smokers, diagnosed with IHD for 5 years, with hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus as co-morbidities.@*Results@#It was shown that majority did not have any change in the frequency of consultation with their cardiologists and majority preferred face-to-face consultation. For those who had decreased frequency of consultation, their reasons include fear of contracting COVID-19, lockdown and travel restrictions, limited number of patients catered at the clinic and lack of finances. Majority remained to be compliant with their maintenance medications and claimed to be willing to seek consult if they will experience severe symptom such as chest pain. For those who were not willing to go to the hospital despite having severe symptoms, the following were their reasons fear of going out due to COVID 19, symptoms were tolerable and were not considered emergency and hospitals were in full capacity. Majority were not admitted in the hospital but those who were not admitted had less frequent consultation with their cardiologists. Despite the COVID threat, majority still agreed that constant follow-up with their cardiologist is of paramount importance.