Implications of the COVID-19 pandemic in monitoring health and cardiovascular diseases: survey study.
Juliana Pereira Machado, Bárbara Caroliny Pereira Costa, Mayara Rocha Siqueira Sudré and 2 others
PMID 37366180WHAT IT FOUND
During the pandemic, many people with heart conditions missed appointments and cancelled tests.
More worryingly, dozens ignored chest pain and hypertensive crises, likely due to fear of contagion, leaving potentially life-threatening symptoms untreated.
Key findings
01Approximately one third of scheduled medical appointments were not performed due to cancellation by the service or patient non-attendance.
02Among participants with cardiovascular disease, 15.1% reported chest pain with or without irradiation to the arm but did not seek care.
03There was a statistically significant association between symptoms like chest pain and hypertensive crisis and the decision not to seek care.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample was non-probabilistic and recruited via social networks, which likely overrepresented younger, educated, and higher-income individuals with private health insurance. Results cannot be generalized to the entire Brazilian population or those without internet access. The study relied on self-reported data for symptoms and healthcare utilization, which may be subject to recall bias. The cross-sectional design identifies associations but cannot prove causation or track outcomes over time.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the high rate of missed care as evidence that patients are unaware of their symptoms. The study suggests fear of contagion and changes in care flows were significant barriers, meaning clinical advice must focus on safe access strategies rather than just symptom recognition.