Social Distancing, Health Care Disruptions, Telemedicine Use, and Treatment Interruption During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Patients With or Without Autoimmune Rheumatic Disease

By The ArthritisPower TeamNovember 2, 2021December 9th, 2021COVID-19

Impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic were studied in patients with and without autoimmune rheumatic diseases. The authors aimed to compare concerns, social distancing, healthcare disruptions, and telemedicine use in these patients. Concerns about COVID-19 and social distancing behaviors were similar in both groups although patients receiving a biologic or Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor reported greater concerns and were more likely to avoid leaving the house and engage in social activities. Patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases were less likely to avoid office visits with similar telemedicine use. Missed office visits were strongly associated with interruptions in immunomodulatory medication.

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PatientSpot registry infrastructure was funded through a Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute Award (PCORI Contract Number PPRN-1306-04811). PatientSpot (formerly known as Arthritis Power) was jointly developed by the nonprofit Global Healthy Living Foundation (GHLF), its associated CreakyJoints arthritis patient community, and rheumatology researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). We reserve the right to change and add sponsors and partner organizations and we also reserve the right to change placement of text on the page. Created by CreakyJoints® patient community in collaboration with patient advocates at Global Healthy Living Foundation (GHLF) and researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Arthritis Power (now PatientSpot)’s past participation in PCORnet®, the National Patient-Centered Clinical Research Network, was supported through multiyear, multimillion-dollar Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute funding awards [PPRN-1306-04811]. Global Healthy Living Foundation (GHLF), the parent organization of PatientSpot, receives grants, sponsorships and contracts from pharmaceutical manufacturers and private foundations. A full list of GHLF funders is publicly available here: https://www.ghlf.org/our-partners.