Pursuit of Non-COVID Medical Care Linked to Mental Wellbeing
A review of the week's top infectious disease news, including links established between mental health and pursuit of need medical care during COVID-19.
Transcript:
Welcome to the Contagion News Network.
I’m assistant editor Grant Gallagher, here with the week’s top stories in infectious diseases.
A new study suggests connections between widespread mental health challenges and the decline in care during COVID-19.
While fear of the virus is also a factor, according to a recent study published by investigators in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, pervasive anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to the nationwide underutilization of care.
According to results drawn from a weekly survey, individuals who experience symptoms of anxiety and depression had higher relative risk for delayed medical care and not receiving necessary non-COVID medical care, after adjustment for potential confounders.
Emergency health care use has declined by 10% for hyperglycemic crises, 20% for strokes, and 23% for heart attacks.
Ambulatory visits have also declined by almost 60%.
In other news, a Trial of Remdesivir for moderate COVID-19 shows modest benefit.
Odds of better clinical status were higher for patients with moderate COVID-19 who received a 5-day course of remdesivir than for those receiving standard care, according to the most recent randomized clinical trial of the antiviral drug.
Now, on to an interview with speech pathologist Rinki Varindani Desai, who shares some of the challenges COVID-19 patients with lung injury have faced in recovery. Thanks for watching.
