Abstract
AIMS: Lockdown measures implemented during the initial phase of the pandemic resulted in the delay and disruption of healthcare utilization for individuals with chronic conditions. We aimed to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 movement restrictions on the follow-up care visits of individuals with chronic illnesses. We also assessed the possible reasons patients missed their follow-ups and the potential barriers impeding follow-up during the pandemic. METHODS: A total of 397 adults with pre-existing medical conditions participated in an online cross-sectional survey from October to December 2022. The study sample comprised 57 % females and 43 % males, with a mean age of 43 years. A 36-item online self-report survey was used for data collection.Results: Fifty-five percent of participants reported missing their follow-up during COVID-19 pandemic, and 14 % made emergency department visits due to their missed follow-up appointments. In addition, 24 % experienced complications due to their missed appointments. The mean score on the fear of COVID-19 scale was 17.8 ± 6.5 (SD). For the majority of participants (60 %), pandemic-related restrictions were the predominant barrier to their follow-up visits. Additionally, we found that as individuals' COVID-19 fear scores increased, the likelihood of missing a follow-up care visit also increased (AOR: 1.067; p-value = 0.001). However, participants who did not perceive COVID-19 pandemic-related restrictions as a barrier were less likely to miss their follow-up visits (AOR: 0.581; p-value = 0.031). Furthermore, those who understood the significance of follow-up care were less likely to miss any of their follow-up visits (AOR: 0.224; p-value < 0.001) than those who had limited understanding of its importance. CONCLUSION: The results showed that pandemic-related movement restrictions negatively affected attendance at follow-up visits for people with pre-existing health conditions. Initiatives should therefore be undertaken during global public health emergencies to provide medical and psychological support to vulnerable and high-risk groups.