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Acta medica Croatica : Časopis Akademije medicinskih znanosti Hrvatske, Vol. 75 No. 3, 2021.

Original scientific paper

EXAMINING THE IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON CHRONIC PAIN TREATMENT IN CROATIA

MIRJANA LONČARIĆ KATUŠIN ; Department of Anesthesiology, Resuscitation and Intensive Care Medicine, Karlovac General Hospital, Karlovac, Croatia
JANA KOGLER ; Department of Anesthesiology, Resuscitation and Intensive Care Medicine, Zagreb University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia
DORIAN OVČAR ; Department of Anesthesiology, Resuscitation and Intensive Care Medicine, Karlovac General Hospital, Karlovac, Croatia
VIŠNJA MAJERIĆ-KOGLER ; Amruševa Polyclinic, Zagreb, Croatia
IVAN RADOŠ ; Department of Anesthesiology, Resuscitation and Intensive Care Medicine, Osijek University Hospital Center, Osijek, Croatia

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on outpatient treatment of pain in general and specialized hospitals and clinics in Croatia. A survey was conducted among pain medicine specialists and members of the Croatian Association for the Treatment of Pain (CATP). The survey was designed using Google Forms and it consisted of 17 questions divided into fi ve sets. CATP members completed the survey anonymously and their answers were analyzed. The survey was open for one month (January to February 2021). A total of 41 members completed the survey. The results have shown that 90.2% of the respondents agree that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed chronic pain treatment. An increase in pain intensity was reported by 58.5% of patients. A decrease in the use of opioids (45%) and adjuvant analgesics (35%) was detected. The majority of the respondents reported a decline in the use of interventional pain management procedures (92%). CATP members switched to electronic and telemedicine technologies to communicate with their patients, considering them a good alternative during the pandemic. A lack of national guidelines on chronic pain treatment during the pandemic was reported by 78% of the respondents. The study concluded that the COVID-19
pandemic has decreased the number of outpatient chronic pain examinations considerably. The pandemic has affected therapeutic procedures, reduced personal contact between physicians and patients, and decreased the overall quality of treatment.

Keywords

COVID-19; chronic pain; telemedicine; opioids; corticosteroids

Hrčak ID:

273933

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/273933

Publication date:

16.3.2022.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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