Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer assessment in primary care: a qualitative study of GP views

被引：19

作者：

Archer, Stephanie ^{[1
]}

Calanzani, Natalia ^{[1
]}

Honey, Stephanie ^{[2
]}

Johnson, Margaret ^{[3
]}

Neal, Richard ^{[4
]}

Scott, Suzanne E. ^{[5
]}

Walter, Fiona M. ^{[6
]}

机构：

[1] Univ Cambridge, Dept Publ Hlth & Primary Care, Cambridge, England

[2] Univ Leeds, Leeds Inst Hlth Sci, Leeds, W Yorkshire, England

[3] Univ Cambridge, Dept Publ Hlth & Primary Care, Primary Care Unit, Patient Publ Partner, Cambridge, England

[4] Univ Leeds, Leeds Inst Hlth Sci, Primary Care Oncol, Leeds, W Yorkshire, England

[5] Kings Coll London, Fac Dent Oral & Craniofacial Sci, Hlth Psychol, London, England

[6] Univ Cambridge, Dept Publ Hlth & Primary Care, Primary Care Unit, Primary Care Canc Res, Cambridge, England

来源：

BJGP OPEN | 2021年 / 5卷 / 04期

关键词：

general practice; neoplasms; early diagnosis; coronavirus; ACUTE RESPIRATORY SYNDROME; OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS WORKING; GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER; PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT; HOSPITAL WORKERS; COPING RESPONSES; BURNOUT; MORBIDITY; SINGAPORE; OUTBREAK;

D O I：

10.3399/BJGPO.2021.0056

中图分类号：

R1 [预防医学、卫生学];

学科分类号：

1004 ; 120402 ;

摘要：

Background: Early diagnosis is key to improve cancer outcomes, and most cancers are diagnosed in primary care after initial symptomatic presentation. Emerging evidence suggests an increase in avoidable cancer deaths owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. Aim: To understand GPs' views on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the clinical assessment of possible cancer. Design & setting: A qualitative semi- structured interview study with GPs from the East of England. Method: GPs were purposively sampled based on age, sex, and years of experience. Interviews were conducted via Zoom or Microsoft Teams in August and September 2020. Transcribed recordings were analysed inductively using thematic analysis. The Model of Pathways to Treatment guided the analysis. Results: Three themes were identified across 23 interviews on GP views on the impact of: (1) changes in patient help- seeking behaviour on symptoms at presentation; (2) remote consultations on managing patients with possible cancer symptoms; and (3) the COVID-19 pandemic on triaging and referring patients with possible cancer. There were positive changes to practice, but concerns were raised about the adequacy of remote consultations for assessing symptoms. Some GPs reported delayed cancer diagnoses, and uncertainty about how backlog in referrals would be managed. Conclusion: This study provides new evidence on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on assessing appropriate symptomatic assessment now and in the future.

引用

页码：1 / 11

页数：11

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