Barriers to accessing health services during the Covid-19 pandemic in Poland

A nationwide cross-sectional survey among 109,928 adults in Poland

Datos Bibliográficos

ID22089358
AutoresPaulina Mularczyk-Tomczewska (0000-0001-8006-3818, Medical University of Warsaw), Adam Żarnowski (0000-0001-7452-1499, Medical University of Warsaw), Mariusz Gujski (0000-0002-2938-4795, Medical University of Warsaw), Mateusz Jankowski (0000-0002-7142-5167, Postgraduate School of Molecular Medicine, autor de correspondencia), Iwona Bojar (0000-0002-3171-225X, Instytut Medycyny Wsi im. Witolda Chodźki), Artur Wdowiak (0000-0002-7011-2345, Medical University of Lublin), Jan Krakowiak (0000-0002-3435-9658, Medical University of Lodz)
Año2022
Volumen10
Páginas986996-986996
Fecha de publicación2022-09-08
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaFrontiers in Public Health (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 2296-2565 • E-ISSN: 2296-2565
EditorialFrontiers Media SA (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3389/fpubh.2022.986996
PMID36159267
OpenAlexW4296137663
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas7
Referencias citadas29

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has significant socio-economic implications for numerous industries, including healthcare. Disruptions of essential health services were reported by nearly all countries around the world. A detailed assessment of the healthcare uptake is necessary to estimate the potential health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the population. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of barriers to accessing health services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland as well as to identify factors associated with the disturbed access to healthcare during the pandemic. Methods This cross-sectional survey was carried out among Internet users in Poland using the computer-assisted web interview technique. Data were collected between October and December 2021. The questionnaire included 32 questions on sociodemographic characteristics, the COVID-19 pandemic, health status, daily habits as well as the use of healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results Data were obtained from 102928 adults, the mean age was 48.0 ± 14.2 years, and 57.2% were females. Most of the respondents had visited a doctor during the past 12 months (70.4%). Almost half of adults in Poland (49.7%) reported barriers to access health services in the past 12 months. Out of 51,105 respondents who had experienced barriers to accessing health services during the COVID-19 pandemic, only 54.3% had visited a doctor in the past 12 months. Long waiting time (39.5%) and temporary closure of healthcare facilities/transformation into a COVID-19 dedicated center (28.8%) were the most common barriers indicated by the respondents. In multivariable logistic regression, female gender, age 18–49 years, lack of higher education, living in cities between 51,000 and 200,000 residents or above 500,000 residents, and having at least one chronic disease were significantly ( p < 0.05) associated with higher odds of experiencing barriers to accessing health services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions This study confirmed that the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened access to health services in Poland. During the pandemic, new barriers to accessing health services, such as the temporary closure of healthcare facilities for non-COVID patients were revealed. Findings from this study provided patients' perspectives on barriers to accessing health services in Poland that may be used by policymakers to reduce health inequalities

Cross-sectional study · Disease · Economic growth · Environmental health · Family medicine · Health care · Pandemic · Population · COVID-19 and healthcare impacts · COVID-19 and Mental Health · COVID-19 epidemiological studies · Medicine