Health systems are overloaded by the health crisis caused by Covid-19. Many citizens have lost medical assistance they needed since the start of the pandemic. It is estimated, according to data extracted from a document published on the Medrxiv platform, that since March 2020, 15.5 percent of citizens in Europe have been left without a medical appointment.
Prepared with a survey in the 27 member countries of the European Union, except Ireland, as well as in Switzerland and Israel —which adds up to a total population of 458 million people—, the study concludes that 68.5 million people have been affected when receiving assistance and missed a medical appointment due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The University of Munich study on the missed medical visits since the start of the pandemic also points out that health systems must now focus on people who have missed those essential appointments to reduce the impact of indirect effects that can cause the Covid-19 as to mortality in the future.
Increases mortality from cardiovascular diseases
The pandemic has put pressure on health systems around the world, causing serious disruptions in patient care. During the first wave of the coronavirus in Europe, visits to Primary Care, hospital admissions and visits to emergency services decreased substantially even before each country of the Union imposed the lockdowns.
Hospitals recorded a significant drop in total admissions for acute or serious illnesssuch as heart failure or heart attacks. Interruptions in patient care with their medical appointments scheduled and canceled with the arrival of Covid-19 is presented as the main reason why, during the first stages of the pandemic, mortality from COVID-19 increased. cardiovascular diseases.
There are fewer diagnoses of diabetes, dementia or depression
In the long term, the suppression of these medical appointments may also have effects that last beyond the pandemic in which we are currently submerged. The study by the University of Munich indicates that in Germany, for example, diagnoses of diabetes, dementia, depression and stroke, indicating that these people who needed preventive care now need essential health appointments.
The existence of the virus throughout the world and the characteristics of Covid-19 -long duration and multiple waves- define the current process of slow recovery in the interruption of medical visits, so there are many patients who can end up forgoing essential or preventive care relegating your medical visits to essential moments or vital moments, which can cause a serious increase in the risk of health complications.
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