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Users point to the risk of contagion by Covid-19 as the main concern to avoid going to the doctor.
More than half of the Portuguese (57%) consider that the pandemic has hindered their access to health care, being the elderly population (69%) and the chronically ill (70%) those who most manifest this difficulty, reveals a study published today. .
Data from the study “Access to healthcare in times of pandemic”, carried out by GFK Metris and presented in the Ordem dos Médicos, affirm that this situation is the result of “an effective experience”: 692 thousand Portuguese did not attend medical appointments scheduled, almost all canceled by the health units.
According to the survey, nearly two million Portuguese had scheduled a medical event during the pandemic (March to August), the majority (89%) consultations, while 23% had exams, 5% had scheduled surgery and 3% hospitalization.
“Although the majority of the 664,000 Portuguese who felt ill during the pandemic – 454,000, that is, 69% – resorted to medical attention, three out of 10 (210,000 or 31%) did not do so”, says studying.
Roughly 40% of those surveyed say they would certainly use health care during the pandemic in a pinch, 35% say they would only recur if the situation were serious, and more than 22% say they would “probably recur.”
Half of the participants report that they feel safe and comfortable accessing medical care. Whoever feels insecure, points out the fear of contagion as the main reason to avoid going to the doctor.
The study also wanted to understand how the Portuguese accepted telemedicine, having concluded that 775 thousand went to medical consultation through this means, with 90% doing so.
In 95% of these cases, the consultations were made by telephone, which did not constitute an effective telemedicine consultation, less than 5% of these teleconsultations involved transmission of images. Although it was considered very satisfactory, the truth is that two thirds would not like to have this solution again under any circumstances or only in very exceptional cases.
For another third, teleconsultation could only be an option in some consultations. Only 2% of people would like to continue teleconsultation on all or almost all occasions.
The objective of the study was to listen to the opinions and capture the perceptions of the Portuguese about the covid-19 pandemic and its impact on access to medical care, having been carried out based on face-to-face questionnaires, between August 28 and August 7. September, with a representative sample of the Portuguese population, made up of more than 1,000 people over 18 years old residing in mainland Portugal.
The Order of Doctors asks the Portuguese not to neglect their health, in matters other than Covid, at this time of pandemic.
c / The day after tomorrow
