Self-reported delays in care-seeking in West Africa during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic caused delays in care-seeking due to fears of infection and decreased healthcare access globally. These delays have been linked in some countries to COVID-19 perceptions, decreased income, and food insecurity, but little is known about patient-level factors for decreased care-seeking specifically at the beginning of COVID-19 in West Africa. Understanding these factors is important to identify those at highest risk and address healthcare-related barriers.

Methods

This study used self-reported data from telephone surveys in a population-based sample in Burkina Faso (n = 1352), Ghana (n = 1621), and Sierra Leone (n = 1301) in May-June 2020. Questions assessed delays in care-seeking, sociodemographic variables, COVID-19 beliefs, and food insecuri

SUBMITTER: Conboy NE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10363320 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature