Effect of COVID-19 on patient access to health services for noncommunicable diseases in Latin America: a perspective from patient advocacy organizations

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has been felt acutely in Latin America with several countries having among the highest numbers of SARS-CoV-2 cases and related deaths. Individuals living with underlying health conditions have an increased risk of severe disease or death from COVID-19. Patient advocacy organizations often provide supportive services to these individuals and can offer a unique perspective of the patient experience. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of COVID-19 on access to health services in Latin America, as reported by patient advocacy organizations representing individuals living with autoimmune, chronic, and noncommunicable diseases.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted in August 2020 with patient advocacy organizations in Latin America to measure perceived effects from COVID-19 and reported access to health services among individuals living with autoimmune, chronic, and noncommunicable diseases. An original, online survey was developed and deployed in Spanish and Portuguese. Univariate and bivariate analysis was conducted across two main subject areas: perceived patient effects from COVID-19 and patient access to health services. The main outcomes of analysis considered patient access to care during COVID-19 based on type of chronic illness and geographical region in Latin America.

Results

A total of 81 survey responses were analyzed. A majority (83%) of patient advocacy organizations reported their patients experienced delays receiving their treatment and care services; 52% experienced delays of 30 days or more. Telemedicine was considered available, but not accessible to patients (37%) and a majority (76%) of patients faced challenges with electronic prescriptions. Patients were not likely to receive a multi-month prescription from their doctor (38%) or successfully fill it at the pharmacy (26%).

Conclusions

According to responses from patient advocacy organizations, individuals living with noncommunicable diseases in Latin America have faced unique challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. As countries re-evaluate their health systems, it is critical that chronic diseases are considered so that all can fully realize the right to health.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12939-022-01648-x.

A human rights approach to understanding provider knowledge and attitudes toward the human papillomavirus vaccine in São Paulo, Brazil

Objective

To determine the extent to which human rights considerations influence the attitudes of healthcare providers in Brazil with regard to access to the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine for females over 13 and males of all ages.

Methods

From May to August 2015, we conducted a cross-sectional study among healthcare providers in eight public health clinics in the city of Mauá, Brazil. Frequency analysis was conducted across three subject areas: access, knowledge, and attitudes.

Results

A total of 154 surveys were analyzed. Providers reported their perception that Brazilians do not have equal access to health (80%) and the vaccine exclusions limit an individual's right to health (72%). Providers stated it is medically effective to vaccinate females over the age of 13 (77%), these females should be vaccinated (84%), and they would vaccinate them (82%). Similar responses were reported for males.

Conclusion

Cervical cancer is the 4th leading cause of cancer among females in Brazil. Most cervical cancer cases are caused by persistent HPV infection, preventable through HPV vaccination. Limiting access to the HPV vaccine when medically efficacious is a perceived infringement of an individual's right to health. Brazil has a constitutional responsibility to reduce these access barriers.

[A group of patients with heart surgery--report of experiences]

Neste trabalho relata-se uma experiência de grupo com pacientes de cirurgia cardíaca. A atividade realiza-se no INSTITUTO DE CARDIOLOGIA DO RIO GRANDE DO SUL e tem por objetivo proporcionar aos pacientes a oportunidade de verbalizarem suas ansiedades e conversarem sobre suas experiências relacionadas com a cirurgia e anestesia. Os grupos reúnem-se duas vezes por semana sendo constituídos por pacientes adultos em pré e pós-operatório imediato. A equipe de saúde é composta por enfermeiros, psicólogo, anestesista, cardiologistas e fisioterapeutas e sua atuação é no sentido de auxiliar na compreensão dos procedimentos aos quais o paciente vai se submeter, desfazendo fantasias distorcidas da realidade.